Safe Haven 1: Nightcloud's Refuge
by Empress Tansy
Summary: Nightcloud is pregnant, and Crowfeather isn't the father. Fearing for her life at WindClan's anger and Crowfeather's bitter rage, she flees to find a safe place for her kits. Now ThunderClan is faced with the threat of war with WindClan. Will they be willing to harbor a fugitive and fight for her kits or will they send her and her kits to their certain deaths? Rated T.
1. Chapter 1

Allegiances

**ThunderClan**

Leader: Bramblestar- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Brackenfur- golden-brown tabby tom

Medicine Cats: Jayfeather- gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

Leafpool- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Warriors:

Cloudtail- long-haired white tom

Brightheart- white she-cat with ginger patches

Apprentice: Sorrelpaw

Thornclaw- golden-brown tabby tom

Spiderleg- long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall- light brown tabby tom

Whitewing- white she-cat with green eyes

Berrynose- cream-colored tom

Mousewhisker- gray-and-white tom

Ivypool- silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Lionblaze- golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Cinderheart- gray tabby she-cat

Dovewing- pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice: Fernpaw

Rosepetal- dark cream she-cat

Apprentice: Hollypaw

Blossomfall- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Bumblestripe- very pale gray tom with black stripes

Molewhisker- brown-and-cream tom

Lilyheart- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Amberleaf- pale ginger she-cat

Dewfall- gray-and-white tom

Snowtail- white, fluffy tom

Queens:

Squirrelflight- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes (mother of Bramblestar's kits: Tawnykit (she-cat), Runningkit (tom) and Sunkit (tom))

Poppyfrost- tortoiseshell she-cat (mother of Berrynose's kits: Bluekit (she-cat) and Rowankit (tom))

Cherryfall- ginger she-cat (mother of Mousewhisker's kits: Smokekit (tom) and Hazelkit (she-cat))

Apprentices:

Hollypaw- gray tabby she-cat

Sorrelpaw- golden tabby she-cat

Fernpaw- solid gray she-cat

Elders:

Graystripe- long-haired gray tom

Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

**WindClan**

Leader: Onestar- brown tabby tom

Deputy: Harespring- brown-and-white tom

Apprentice: Slightpaw

Medicine cat: Kestrelflight- mottled gray tom

Warriors:

Crowfeather- dark gray tom

Apprentice: Featherpaw

Nightcloud- black she-cat

Apprentice: Hootpaw

Gorsetail- very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

Weaselfur- ginger tom with white paws

Leaftail- dark tabby tom, amber eyes

Apprentice: Oatpaw

Emberfoot- gray tom with two dark paws

Heathertail- light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Breezepelt- black tom with amber eyes

Furzepelt- gray-and-white she-cat

Crouchfoot- ginger tom

Larkwing- pale brown tabby she-cat

Queens:

Sedgewhisker- light brown tabby she-cat

Apprentices:

Slightpaw- black tom with flash of white on his chest

Featherpaw- gray tabby she-cat

Hootpaw- dark gray tom

Oatpaw- pale brown tabby tom

Elders:

Whiskernose- light brown tom

Whitetail- small white she-cat

Chapter 1

Bright moonlight shone over a large lake, forming a white circle over the slow ripples tugging at the stony shoreline. The pale gray pebbles jostled gently under the lazy current, leaving their smooth surface damp as the water pulled away. Just beyond the shoreline, a figure sat unmoving, staring out onto the lake with dark, serious eyes. The figure, a lithe black cat, stood slowly and padded down to pebbly shore. Her paws brushed over the stones, feeling the cool water run over her soft fur.

The she-cat paused, and uncertainty gleamed in her green eyes. She lifted her head to the black sky, where only a few lone stars shone dimly above her. "What do I do?" she cried, her voice echoing over the water. "Why did you let this happen to me?"

The emotionless stars did not answer. The cat waited for a long moment, praying that someone would hear her cries. Knowing that only silence would greet further calls, she heaved a heavy sigh and stepped back onto the soft, dewy grass.

Before turning and running up the grassy hill toward her home, the cat sent one last look at the silent stars. "Please, help me! I can't do this anymore!"

* * *

"Nightcloud, get out here, you fat lazy lump!"

The black she-cat's eyes shot open. A feeling of dread pulsed through her body, causing a slight tremble. After a moment of brief terror, the she-cat remembered she was back in the WindClan camp, laying in a mossy nest under a thick bramble bush that served as the warriors' den. Heaving a sigh of relief, the she-cat shoved herself to her paws. Stepping out of the den and blinking her eyes against the bright, early morning sun, the she-cat caught sight of an angry warrior glaring at her, and the dread in her heart returned.

"Yes, Harespring, what is it?" she asked, trying not to sound afraid of the brown-and-white tom.

Harespring rolled his amber eyes. "Seriously, Nightcloud? This is the fifth day of the past six that you've over slept! You haven't been on a single dawn patrol in the past moon! All you do is lay around camp and eat prey that other cats worked hard to catch. You've gotten lazy, and it's time to stop."

Nightcloud studied the Clan deputy nervously. "I'm sorry," she meowed. "I'll go on a patrol today."

"You'll go on two," Harespring hissed. "First, you can join Crowfeather his border patrol, then you can join Furzepelt on her hunting patrol. And no eating until you've completed both and I have been given a good report from both patrol leaders!"

"But I need to eat!" Nightcloud cried, her stomach twisting uncomfortably.

The deputy shook his head angrily. "You've been eating enough for two cats and you haven't earned a single piece of it! Get on your patrol- now!"

The she-cat dipped her head respectfully, squeezing her eyes shut and wishing she was anywhere else. When she opened her eyes, the she-cat quickly stalked away from the deputy, searching for the familiar day gray pelt of her former mate.

Spying the tom standing near the entrance of the camp with a gray tabby she-cat, Nightcloud sighed miserably and padded up to the pair. "Good morning, Crowfeather. Morning, Featherpaw," she meowed, trying to sound cheerful.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Crowfeather sneered, glaring at the she-cat with cold blue eyes.

"Who?" Nightcloud asked, confusion clouding her mind.

Featherpaw let out a mroww of laughter. "Hootpaw, mousebrain! You remember Hootpaw, your apprentice?"

The black she-cat swallowed, trying not to let her embarrassment show. "Oh, Hootpaw! Yes, I'll fetch him."

She turned and hurried over to a small abandoned rabbit den where the apprentices slept. "Hootpaw!" she called into the entrance. "It's time for a patrol!"

A small dark gray tom squeezed out of the narrow entrance, blinking away his tiredness. "A patrol? Yay!" he squeaked, bouncing on his paws. "Who are we going with?"

"Featherpaw and Crowfeather," Nightcloud meowed quietly.

The light died from Hootpaw's eyes. "Crowfeather? Oh, I'm sorry, Nightcloud."

"It's alright," the she-cat lied. "Come on now; we can't keep them waiting."

* * *

"Featherpaw, what can you scent?" Crowfeather asked, padding along the ThunderClan border.

The small tabby wrinkled her nose, concentrating on her surroundings. "I smell cats," she meowed. "I think they must be…Thornclaw, Rosepetal, Molewhisker, and Hollypaw."

The WindClan warrior nodded. "We must have just missed them. Very good, Featherpaw!" the tom sounded pleased at his apprentice's answer. "It seems like ThunderClan is staying on their side of the border. Good, we can keep the peace a while longer."

Hootpaw bounced up to Crowfeather. "Can we catch up to them? I want to say hi to Hollypaw!"

The warrior's eyes widened. "My goodness, no! We can't trespass on ThunderClan territory. You can wait until the next Gathering." Turning his gaze on Nightcloud, his eyes darkened. "Haven't you taught your apprentice anything? A day old kit knows not to trespass!"

Nightcloud felt her body tense up. "Yes!" she hissed. "I've taught him that. He's only forgotten. It's okay. Hootpaw will remember next time. "

"You haven't spent much time with him," the tom went on, his blue eyes burning with hostility. "You don't do much at all anymore. You claim you're too tired for patrols, you eat enough food for two full-grown warriors, you sleep more than the elders, and you neglect your apprentice! It's a wonder Onestar hasn't punished you!"

"I haven't been feeling well!" the she-cat meowed, trying to defend herself. She felt a sharp pain shoot through her belly, and shuddered. _It's okay_, she thought desperately. _I'm okay._

Hootpaw stomped up to Crowfeather, thrusting his nose in the warrior's face. "Don't be mean to Nightcloud! She's a great mentor! She just hasn't been feeling well, that's all."

Crowfeather shook his head. "She feels fine," he snarled, shoving the apprentice aside and stalking up to the she-cat. "Stop acting like a kit! You've been acting like a useless lump since the Great Battle when you found out our son was a traitor. Now just in the last moon you've been acting even more useless! I didn't even know it was possible for you to be even more-"

"I'm pregnant, okay?" Nightcloud erupted. "I'm expecting kits! How could you not have noticed? My belly's huge! Why did you think I've been tired all of a sudden and have been eating more?"

The tom's blue eyes widened. "You're expecting _kits_?" he hissed. "Who's are they? They aren't mine!"

The she-cat hesitated. "I…can't say."

Crowfeather shook his head furiously. "You are even worse than our son. I can't believe I ever thought I could like you. You are a horrible excuse for a cat. Don't tell me who the father is- I don't want to know. But know this- I will make your life miserable for this. You are still _my_ _mate _and if I ever find out who the father is, I swear I'll kill him!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Nightcloud padded into the WindClan camp with a sparrow firmly clamped in her jaws. Dropping the bird onto the fresh-kill pile, the black she-cat noticed Onestar and Harespring staring at her. The brown tabby leader was staring at her with narrowed eyes, not giving away his emotions. The deputy, however, was glaring at the she-cat and lashing his tail. Swallowing, Nightcloud dipped her head to the toms. She turned away to head back to her nest, but Harespring's irritable voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Get over here!" he snarled viciously. "I know you saw us!"

The she-cat sighed and strolled slowly over to the toms. "Greetings, Onestar and Harespring," she mewed nervously.

"How were your patrols?" Harespring sneered, his amber eyes shining with disapproval.

"Fine, thank you," Nightcloud replied, not looking the brown-and-white deputy in the eyes.

Onestar cleared his throat roughly. "Nightcloud, it appears that your Clanmates feel that you are not pulling your weight around here."

The she-cat stared down at the ground, studying the soft sandy earth. "I went on two patrols today," she mumbled quietly.

Harespring nodded menacingly. "Yes, and Furzepelt said you didn't even try to catch any prey. If it weren't for that apprentice of yours, you wouldn't have even caught that sparrow!"

Onestar flashed his deputy a warning look before adding in a calmer tone, "And Crowfeather had some rather unpleasant comments to make about you as well. He claims you are neglecting Hootpaw. Apparently the apprentice thought it was okay to trespass on another Clan's territory? Hootpaw has been an apprentice for four moons. He should be nearly ready to be made a warrior. If he doesn't understand even the simplest Clan rules, his ceremony will have to be delayed."

"Oh, no! Hootpaw doesn't deserve that!" Nightcloud cried.

"I know," the leader answered. "It is not his fault his mentor has failed him. I have decided that you will no longer mentor Hootpaw. Emberfoot will take over his training."

"But that's not fair!" the she-cat wailed. "I've tried to be a good mentor!"

Harespring lashed his tail furiously. "You're a waste of space, Nightcloud. You couldn't mentor a rock."

Onestar snorted, turning to face his deputy. "Harespring, perhaps you and Slightpaw have some training to do? I can carry this meeting on myself."

Harespring narrowed his eyes, clearly displeased to be dismissed. "Ashfoot would never stand for such laziness," he muttered as he stood up.

"Ashfoot would never have insulted a Clanmate!" the leader retorted. "She would have remained calm. Now go on and let me deal with Nightcloud."

The deputy huffed loudly before turning and stalking away toward the apprentices' den. Onestar turned back to Nightcloud, his amber gaze softening. "Sometimes I wish Ashfoot was still with us," he mewed quietly.

"We all do," the black she-cat agreed. "She was a great deputy. StarClan will honor her for moons to come."

"Yes they will," Onestar meowed, nodding. Regaining his composure, he added, "It seems like many cats are having some doubts about you. Not just Harespring and Crowfeather, but others as well. Ever since the Great Battle you've been quieter and less willing to partake in patrols. I realize your son's betrayal was hard on you- it was a shock to all of us- but that is no reason to forget your duties."

Nightcloud met the leader's eyes. "He's my kit. I will always love him."

Onestar twitched his tail. "I would expect nothing less. It's always hard when a queen has to watch her newborn kits die and then watch the only one who survived turn into a monster."

"His father hated him," she whispered, trying to defend the tom.

"Crowfeather has his own issues," the leader said, "but I am not here to discuss all of his problems. Nightcloud, in the last two moons you have completely withdrawn from Clan life. At first I assumed it had to do with Breezepelt, but now I've been told you are pregnant." He paused, his amber eyes burning into Nightcloud's pelt. "Who's the father?"

"You know who the father is," Nightcloud meowed weakly.

A growl rumbled in Onestar's throat. "Tell me his name!"

The she-cat shook her head. "I wish for the father to remain a secret."

The leader shook his head. "If you refuse to announce the father, I will refuse to treat you like a queen. For all I know, the father's a ThunderClan or RiverClan tom!"

"He's not and you know it!" Nightcloud hissed.

"No I don't!" Onestar spat. "If these kits have no father, they have no place in WindClan. ThunderClan may accept half-Clan kits- the kits of cats who broke the warrior code- but WindClan does not. You are not Leafpool. You have no sister to raise the kits as her own. You have no way to hide your pregnancy. All of WindClan knows you're expecting, and they expect an announcement of who the father is. If you refuse to acknowledge him, you will be punished."

The she-cat leapt to her paws, her green eyes flashing with the rage a threatened mother. "You know these kits aren't half-Clan! I am not Crowfeather- I don't break the warrior code! The father is a WindClan tom, and you know exactly who he is! I shouldn't have to tell you."

"You don't have to tell me," Onestar meowed slyly. "You have to tell _them_."

"No!" Nightcloud spat. "They can never know. It's my secret and you can't make me tell anyone."

The leader narrowed his eyes. "Fine. Then know this: you will be punished. I will treat you as a traitor to WindClan and the warrior code. You are now our prisoner. You will not sleep in the warriors' den, but outside the camp with a guard watching you at all times. The kits are not welcome in my Clan until you announce the father and prove they are truly full-blooded WindClan. If you ever do make the right decision and announce the father, then you will be welcomed back into the Clan with open paws. Now get out of here! You are not welcome in my camp."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A dark gray figure stood in front of Nightcloud's makeshift den, his lips curled into a snarl and blue eyes burning with rage as he stared at the she-cat trying to get out from under the bramble bush.

"How's the prisoner?" he spat, lashing his tail furiously.

The she-cat's eyes flickered quickly around her new den. The bush was only a few fox-lengths away from the entrance to WindClan's camp, but Nightcloud had been confined the bush for the past half-moon, and Onestar still refused to respect the she-cat's right to keep the father of her unborn kits a secret. "I just want to go hunting," the black cat meowed quietly, staring down at the sandy dirt ground.

Crowfeather snorted. "You deserve to go hungry. I can't believe Onestar and Harespring allow you to leave this den at all."

"And I can't believe they made you guard me," Nightcloud retorted. "At least they allow me to hunt- I just cannot go into the camp."

"If I had my way I'd have banished you from our territory forever," the tom growled. "You shouldn't be welcomed here at all."

The she-cat's eyes flashed with indignation. "Why is that? A she-cat expecting kits is a crime now?"

The dark gray tom thrust his face into Nightcloud's. "They aren't my kits," he snarled. "You have another mate, and he certainly isn't any WindClan cat. You broke the warrior code."

"I did not!" Nightcloud cried. "The father is a WindClan cat! Besides, you had kits with Leafpool. Onestar didn't banish you then."

"Onestar's weak," Crowfeather hissed. "And anyway, I convinced him that I was over Leafpool. I fell in love with a WindClan cat, remember?"

"You were never in love with me," the black she-cat growled. "You used me. You used our son. That's not love. You needed to regain your reputation, and Breezepelt and I had to suffer because of it."

The tom stepped back, his eyes widening at Nightcloud's words. "You are right- I never loved you. It was always a trick. You were so easy to manipulate- nothing but a poor she-cat who'd always wanted kits and was willing to fall in love with anyone! And then you gave birth to that…thing and thought I'd love you then! Breezepelt and you mean nothing to me. You've never meant anything to me. Leafpool is the only one I've ever truly loved, and is the only I will ever love."

"Then leave me alone!" Nightcloud begged. "I promise I'll never tell Onestar you still love her! I'll never tell anyone that you tricked me. Just leave me alone!"

"Oh, I know you'll never tell anyone," Crowfeather meowed, suddenly calm. His fur began to lie flat on his back and the fire in his eyes died down. "I believe you."

"Thank you!" the she-cat mewed, a wave of relief flooding over her.

The dark gray warrior continued. "I know you won't tell anyone because you won't be able to speak when I'm done with you."

Nightcloud's eyes widened with horror as Crowfeather unsheathed his claws, glaring at her threateningly. "What…what are you going to do?" she asked, swallowing nervously.

"Getting rid of you forever," the tom snarled, crouching low to the ground.

The she-cat, suddenly realizing her mate meant to kill her, turned to her right and began running as fast as she could, dodging around the tom as she sped off. Crowfeather leaped to his paws, racing after her madly. Nightcloud tore across the sandy ground, her paws barely skimming the dust that covered the moorland. Blinded by fear, she had no idea where she was heading. Blazing through tall, weedy yellow grass the she-cat sent a silent prayer to StarClan, hoping they were guiding her to a different Clan's border. Surely RiverClan or ThunderClan's border would save her from Crowfeather's rage.

The tom was keeping up with Nightcloud, crashing through the moor with thundering paws. The she-cat began tiring, her paws suddenly feeling much heavier and her breath became labored. The black cat was nearing the time her kits were due, and running this fast proved too much for the very pregnant she-cat. Crowfeather was gaining on her, and Nightcloud realized that soon he'd reach her and then she'd be done. Squeezing her eyes shut, she pressed forth, urging her paws not to give up.

Opening her eyes a moment later, the she-cat saw the stream that created the border with ThunderClan. Taking a glance back toward Crowfeather, Nightcloud wondered if he was so determined to kill her that he'd trespass on enemy territory. The black she-cat knew it was her only chance of survival. As she reached the edge of the stream, Nightcloud took a deep breath and leaped to the other side and landed on the soft green grass of the ThunderClan territory.

Hearing a splash behind her, Nightcloud turned around and saw that Crowfeather had fallen into the chilly water. The tom writhed around in the stream for a moment before hauling himself back onto the shore- and to Nightcloud's relief- it was on the WindClan side.

"You think you're safe just because you aren't on WindClan territory anymore?" Crowfeather asked, shaking his pelt furiously.

"Are you going to cross the stream?" Nightcloud asked nervously, knowing she'd never be able to muster the strength to run any more.

The tom shook his head angrily. "No. I won't cross the border. I don't break the warrior code, unlike _some _cats."

The she-cat sighed with relief. "I only crossed the border because you were trying to kill me."

"Whatever," Crowfeather muttered, his tail flicking with annoyance. "You may think you're safe, but ThunderClan won't take kindly to an enemy WindClan warrior on their territory."

Nightcloud turned away from the angry tom. "But I'm safer here than I've been in WindClan in a long time…"

Not looking back at Crowfeather, the she-cat began to pad toward the tree line that formed the forest that ThunderClan loved so much. She pushed her way through the thick undergrowth, wondering if she should try and find their camp or head toward the hills beyond the Clan territories. Would she really be safe on ThunderClan land? Surely they wouldn't hurt an expecting she-cat who was in no place to fight. Maybe they would be merciful. And would living as a rogue be a good idea for a she-cat who would soon have kits? Nightcloud wasn't sure if she'd be able to provide for herself and her kits on her own. Clans provided support and queens were taken care of; rogues had no one, and leaf-bare would reach the lake territory before long.

Before Nightcloud could make up her mind, a sharp pain twisted in her belly. Fearing the strain of running had hurt her kits, the queen stopped walking and flopped down on the grassy forest floor. Hoping she'd only need a short rest, the she-cat felt another wave of pain pulse through her body. Her black pelt shook as she writhed uncomfortably on the ground, the pain being almost unbearable. Horror filled Nightcloud's mind as she realized what was happening. She was about to give birth on enemy territory.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A piteous wail rose up among the oak and maple trees of the dense forest. Nightcloud squeezed her eyes shut, sending a silent prayer to StarClan not to let a patrol find her. Surely no Clan cat would attack a she-cat in her most vulnerable state, but after what the queen had endured in WindClan, Nightcloud didn't think she could trust anyone.

Glancing around wildly, the she-cat found a stick laying in the brush just a few fox-lengths away. _If I could just reach that stick, I could bite down on it instead of crying out. Then maybe ThunderClan won't hear me_, she thought. Pushing herself to her paws, the black she-cat laboriously dragged her heavy paws over to the thin stick. She dropped down on the ground next to it, out of breath and shaking from the fierce pain. Nightcloud grasped the stick in her jaws and bit down hard.

_Please, please, please don't let a ThunderClan patrol find me like this!_ she thought desperately as a spasm ravaged her body. Pushing with all her might, a tiny body slithered onto the long grass. The dark-colored kit lay still, hardly moving. Nightcloud nudged the bundle with a hind paw, earning a high-pitched squeak from the kit. Relieved, the queen leaned back took a deep breath before another spasm took hold. The pain was unbearable, but Nightcloud didn't dare cry out as her second kit was born.

Two dark-colored kits now lay squirming on the forest floor, moving slowly on the grass as they tried to find the mother's warm body As they reached the edge of Nightcloud's thin stomach, another spasm shook her violently, knocking the kits backward. Unhappy cries came from the tiny mouths as the kits landed harshly on the ground.

Nightcloud heaved a sigh of relief when her third kit arrived. Knowing this was the last one, the queen closed her eyes, thanking StarClan that she had not yet been discovered. Releasing the stick from her jaws, Nightcloud turned her attention to her kits. She reached out and grasped the first dark-colored kit and pulled it toward her. She began licking the kit the wrong way to warm it up, and soon the kit stopped its shrill cries. _What a beautiful little tom_, she thought to herself. _He looks just like Breezepelt did when he was born. _

The queen the lifted the second dark-colored kit and pulled it closer. She rapidly licked the kit's soft fur to warm it up. The kit squirmed uncomfortably under Nightcloud's tongue, unhappy to have its fur being tugged the wrong way.

"It's okay, little one," Nightcloud soothed. "You'll be warm soon."

The kit stopped its writhing and squeaked pitifully. Nightcloud knew the tiny kit must be hungry, so she placed the kit next to her brother so she could suckle. The black she-cat then turned toward to the third kit. The tiny brown tabby was lying ominously still, and it did not appear to be breathing. Nightcloud pulled the kit up close, a feeling of dread welling up inside her. She began washing the kit furiously, trying to warm it up and stimulate movement. The kit did not react, and the mother wasn't sure whether the kit felt her mother's tongue at all.

"Come on, little kit," Nightcloud begged, staring down at the tiny tabby. "Stay with me. You'll be alright. Please be alright. StarClan, let her be alright!"

At long last, the kit's chest began to rise and fall steadily. Seeing the movement, Nightcloud heaved a sigh of relief. After a long moment, the kit began to squirm and let out a quiet squeak. She was alive!

"Thank StarClan!" Nightcloud breathed. Placing the tiny kit next to her littermates, the queen suddenly realized how tired she was. Worn out from the chase with Crowfeather, which now seemed like moons ago, and the exhausting birth of her kits, Nightcloud felt like all the energy had been drained out of her. Closing her weary green eyes, the queen laid her head down on her paws, hoping sleep would come quickly.

* * *

"What's that smell?" a shrill voice meowed, pulling Nightcloud from her deep sleep.

Another voice echoed the first. "WindClan!"

"WindClan's trespassing on our territory?" the first voice gasped. "Shall I run and warn Bramblestar that there's an invasion?"

The WindClan queen leaped to her paws, shaking the feeling of drowsiness away. The three kits squeaked their unhappiness at suddenly being exposed to the cold leaf-bare air. "Shh!" Nightcloud hissed, straining her ears toward the sound of the ThunderClan patrol.

A third voice answered the other cat's question. "I don't think it's an invasion, Sorrelpaw. I can only scent one cat."

"You're right, Brightheart," the second voice responded. "I don't think this is an attack party."

"Then what is it, Cloudtail?" Sorrelpaw asked.

Nightcloud waited silently as the sound of the ThunderClan cats' pawsteps got closer. She braced herself as the patrol pushed through the undergrowth, hoping they wouldn't be too angry to see her and her newborn kits.

Four cats shoved their way through a thick bramble thicket, their eyes widening as they saw the black she-cat standing before them. Nightcloud instinctively crouched low and arched her back, hissing at the patrol. "Stay back!"

A long-haired white tom stepped in front of his patrol. "Nightcloud? What are you doing here?" His voice didn't sound threatening, but genuinely confused and curious.

A smaller golden tabby she-cat bounced in front of the senior warrior toward Nightcloud. "You're on ThunderClan territory!" she announced. "You need to leave!"

Cloudtail glared at the smaller cat. "Sorrelpaw, get back!" Glancing back at a white-and-ginger she-cat, he added, "Can't you control your apprentice, Brightheart?"

Sorrelpaw didn't listen to the white tom. She stepped closed to Nightcloud. "So are you going to tell us why you're here or not?"

The black she-cat didn't answer the apprentice. She lashed her tail furiously, placing herself protectively in front of her kits. "Get back!" she snarled.

"Not until you tell me why you're here!" Sorrelpaw growled, trying to sound threatening.

Brightheart let out an exaggerated sigh. "Sorrelpaw, honestly! Can't you see she has kits?" The older she-cat padded up to her apprentice and pushed her gently with her tail. "Go stand back by Snowtail."

Nightcloud glared up at the ThunderClan she-cat. "Stay away from me," she warned, not trusting the patrol.

The white-and-ginger she-cat glanced sympathetically down at the WindClan cat. "Nightcloud, tell us why you're here. We won't hurt you."

The queen turned to look back at her kits, who were beginning to squeal. "I have kits," she murmured.

"I can see that," Brightheart mewed. "But why are they here? They should be safe in the WindClan nursery."

Nightcloud whipped her head back to face the ThunderClan queen. "They aren't WindClan!" she snarled. "I wouldn't raise my kits in that wretched Clan for all the prey in StarClan!"

Cloudtail padded up to stand beside his mate. "Tell us what happened. Did they kick you out? Are you having problems with Crowfeather?"

The black she-cat squeezed her eyes shut, but she only saw Crowfeather's murderous blue eyes glaring back at her. "He…he tried to kill me," she whispered, barely audible.

Brightheart and Cloudtail exchanged horrified glances. The she-cat turned back to face Nightcloud, her one green eye shining with anger. "Then you must come back to the ThunderClan camp with us. No decent Clan turns away a queen with newborn kits."

Nightcloud opened her eyes, scarcely believing her ears. "You'd give shelter to a WindClan cat?"

Cloudtail nodded. "ThunderClan would not allow innocent lives to suffer. You will be safe here."

"Thank you," the WindClan she-cat mewed. She stood up slowly, still eyeing the patrol cautiously. Not taking her gaze off of the cats, Nightcloud bent and lifted one of the kits off the grass.

Brightheart reached to take the kit from her. "Let us carry them," she meowed softly. "You're barely able to stand, let alone carry your little ones."

Sighing, Nightcloud allowed Brightheart to take the tiny black kit from her jaws. Cloudtail and Snowtail both padded up to the queen and took the final two kits.

Sorrelpaw bounced around the black she-cat excitedly. "What are their names?"

Nightcloud thought for a moment, realizing the kits didn't have names yet. "Eaglekit, Swallowkit, and…" she paused, distracted by the events of the day. She thought of the one thing that had saved her from Crowfeather's rage- the stream. It seemed only fitting to name her last kit after the thing that saved her life. "Streamkit."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Nightcloud trailed slowly after the ThunderClan patrol, hanging her head down low and staring at the dull, wilting grass on the forest floor. _Leaf-bare's coming, _the black she-cat thought. _Even the forest isn't spared from the cooling weather._

Sorrelpaw bounced alongside of the WindClan queen, bombarding her with a slew of questions. "What's life in WindClan like? Do you really sleep on the ground instead of instead of nests? Do you only eat rabbits? Are the elders grumpy? What are the apprentices like?"

Brightheart glanced back at her apprentice. "I'm sure they're a lot like you," she mewed threw a mouthful of black kit fur.

"Are they?" the golden apprentice asked, staring up at Nightcloud with round amber eyes.

The queen nodded. "They're full of energy," she meowed slowly, picturing her own former apprentice. "Hootpaw was going to be a great warrior…"

"Who's Hootpaw?" Sorrelpaw questioned. "Was he your apprentice? Was he nice? Was he cute?"

"Sorrelpaw!" Cloudtail scolded. "Stop bothering Nightcloud! Can't you see she has enough to deal with already?"

The golden she-cat ducked her head, embarrassed. "Sorry, Cloudtail."

The tiny kit swinging from Cloudtail's jaws squealed angrily, unhappy to be jostled by the warrior's talking. Nightcloud pushed herself to the front of the patrol, not taking her eyes off of the tabby. "Shh," she murmured, trying to soothe the little one.

Snowtail passed the kit he was carrying to Sorrelpaw. "We're almost at the camp," he meowed. "I'm sure Bramblestar will let you stay."

Nightcloud flicked her tail nervously, not taking her eyes off of her tabby kit. "If he doesn't, I don't know where I'll go."

"I can't believe Onestar would just banish a queen like that," the fluffy white tom growled. "Has he no kindness at all?"

"I wasn't really banished…" the WindClan she-cat mewed quietly. "He made me a prisoner. It was only until I agreed to announce who the father was."

Snowtail snorted, pushing ahead of the patrol to alert the camp of Nightcloud's arrival. "Sounds like a piece of fox-dung to me."

Cloudtail and Brightheart paused outside the bramble barrier that made the camp entrance. The long-haired white tom studied Nightcloud with gentle blue eyes. "Don't be afraid," he meowed encouragingly. "No one will be cruel to you here."

The she-cat nodded, trying to gain her confidence. A shadow of doubt flickered in her mind, making whatever confidence she had waver. _What if Bramblestar sends me back to WindClan? What will Crowfeather do to me then? What would Onestar do to me?_

Following the patrol into the camp, Nightcloud saw that most of ThunderClan's cats were already gathered in the camp clearing. Snowtail was standing in the center of the camp talking with a large dark brown tabby and a golden-brown tabby. Bramblestar and Brackenfur were nodding as the young white warrior gave his report, and seeing the rest of the patrol pad into the camp, the leader and deputy stood up to greet the warriors.

Sorrelpaw bounded toward the dark tabby leader. "Bramblestar, look at Nightcloud's kits! Aren't they cute?"

Bramblestar sent the apprentice a stern glare. "Why don't you go take a piece of prey to Graystripe and Sandstorm?" he ordered. "I'm sure they'd appreciate it."

The golden tabby she-cat sighed, clearly unhappy to be dismissed. "I just wanted to help Nightcloud get settled," she muttered as she padded off.

The dark tabby watched the apprentice for a moment before turning back to the patrol. "Nightcloud," he meowed, "What can I do for you? Snowtail says you're having some trouble in WindClan?"

The she-cat looked up, trying to meet the leader's amber gaze. Nervously, she swallowed and prepared to explain her situation. "They…they aren't Crowfeather's," she whispered, pointing to the kits with her tail.

Bramblestar glanced at the three kits. "You have newborns," he observed. He turned around, facing a sandy mound with a hole the led into the dark den. Opening his mouth, he yowled, "Squirrelflight!"

A dark ginger head appeared through the den's entrance. "Yes, Bramblestar?"

"Can you come here, please?" he asked.

Squirrelflight nodded, padding toward her mate. Seeing Nightcloud standing next to the leader, the ginger she-cat's eyes narrowed with curiosity. She opened her mouth to say something, but one of the kits let out a shrill wail before she could do so.

"Kits!" the she-cat gasped. "Nightcloud, are these yours?"

The black queen nodded, keeping her eyes on the little tabby kit in Cloudtail's jaws.

Bramblestar padded up to the senior warrior and took the kit from him. The leader carried the bundle to Squirrelflight and set it at her paws. "Nightcloud's kits need a place to stay. Can you take them to the nursery and get them settled?"

The ginger queen's eyes widened, confusion glowing in the green orbs. "Of course, but…"

"Please," Nightcloud interrupted. "The tabby- she's weak. She needs to get somewhere warm."

Squirrelflight nodded seriously, bending down to scoop the kit up. "I'll get her warmed up," she assured the queen. "Brightheart, Snowtail, bring the other two!"

Nightcloud watched as the three warriors padded off with her kits. Digging her claws into the soft grassy ground, she turned back to Bramblestar. "Please don't send me back!"

The tom narrowed his amber eyes. "Why can you not stay in WindClan?"

"Crowfeather's furious with me," the she-cat mumbled. "He never loved me. I thought I found a tom who had. Apparently I was wrong again."

Bramblestar nodded, looking more puzzled before. "And this means you can't live there anymore?"

Nightcloud shook her head sadly. "Onestar made me his prisoner. He said only queens who will say who the father is are welcome in his camp. The father…he wasn't a good cat. I didn't want him to be a part of their lives. I learned from that mistake with Crowfeather. Onestar kicked me out of the camp, and made Crowfeather guard me. He…" she trailed off, staring down at her paws. "He tried to kill me."

The ThunderClan leader jerked his head up, fire blazing in his amber eyes. "Onestar banishes an expectant queen, and a warrior tries to murder her? Has WindClan forgotten the warrior code?"

"I don't know," the she-cat mewed miserably. "But I can't go back there. Please don't make me."

Sorrelpaw, having padded back over the black queen, stared at her leader. "You aren't going to make her leave, are you? I told my sisters! Hollypaw and Fernpaw won't let her leave if you make her go. We'll fight to keep her kits safe!"

Bramblestar glared at the apprentice for her attitude, but after a moment he sighed and shook his head. "No, Sorrelpaw, I won't send her back. WindClan has turned their back on the code by forcing Nightcloud to flee. If a Clan refuses to keep its kits safe, then they don't deserve to have kits. We will all fight to keep Nightcloud's kits if we have to." He turned to look at the former WindClan queen. "Welcome to ThunderClan."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Nightcloud stretched out in a mossy nest nestled deep in the ThunderClan nursery. Warm and comfortable for the first time in moons, the she-cat was finally able to relax and concentrate on her newborn kits. They had not opened their eyes yet, but all three were safe and appeared to be healthy. The kits were piled in a mound of black and tabby fur, sleeping soundly as the queen watched them with affection glowing in her green eyes.

A dark tabby kit peeked over the edge of another nest. "Who are you?" she squeaked cheerfully.

"I'm Nightcloud," the black she-cat replied. "Who are you?"

"I'm Tawnykit!" the tabby meowed. Two other kits about the same age scrambled up beside her. One was also a dark tabby, while the other was a dark ginger. "These are my brothers," the she-cat added, "Runningkit and Sunkit."

Nightcloud nodded, studying the three kits. "It's nice to meet you."

Tawnykit stared down at the three newborns. "When can they play with us?"

The dark tabby tom rolled his eyes. "Tawnykit, can't you see they're too little to play?"

The ginger tom nodded in agreement. "Yeah! We'll be apprentices before they're old enough to play!"

"That's right," Nightcloud meowed. "My kits are still very little."

Tawnykit narrowed her amber eyes, not liking the answer. "Well, what are their names?"

The queen brushed her black tom with her tail. "This is Eaglekit." She tapped the other two gently. "And there are Swallowkit and Streamkit."

"They're cute," Sunkit meowed.

Squirrelflight ducked her head into the den. "Are you three bothering Nightcloud?" she asked, staring at the older kits.

Runningkit batted his eyes sweetly. "No, Mother. We were just asking about her kits."

"Yeah!" Sunkit added. "We just wanted to meet them."

The ginger queen snorted softly. "Why don't you come out here and play for a while. I'm sure Nightcloud would appreciate the peace."

Tawnykit heaved a sigh before padding toward her mother. "What's so great about new kits if we can't play with them?" she whined, her brothers echoing their agreement.

Once the kits had left, a tortoiseshell queen sighed in relief. "I thought they'd never leave!"

A ginger she-cat nodded. "Those three are getting two big for the nursery."

The tortoiseshell turned toward Nightcloud. "Don't worry about them. Bramblestar will have to make them apprentices before long. I'm Poppyfrost, by the way."

"And I'm Cherryfall," the ginger queen added.

Nightcloud dipped her head politely. "Hello," she meowed nervously.

Poppyfrost glanced down at Nightcloud's kits. "They are beautiful. I remember when mine were that little. Those were the days!"

Cherryfall nodded. "They grow so fast! It seems like mine just opened their eyes yesterday, but they're three moons old already!"

The black she-cat ran her tail over the kits. "I remember thinking that when Breezepelt was this small."

"Kits shouldn't grow up so fast," Cherryfall meowed. "I'd keep Smokekit and Hazelkit that little forever if I could. They've reached that stage where they love being underfoot and getting into trouble."

Poppyfrost snorted. "My kits have Berrynose as a father. They were born in that stage. Rowankit and Bluekit with born to be crazy!"

"Hey, I'm your kit too!" Cherryfall growled good-naturedly. "I wasn't that bad of a kit!"

The tortoiseshell she-cat laughed. "Right. Sure, Cherryfall, you were just the perfect kit."

"I was," the ginger she-cat huffed.

Nightcloud smiled, trying not to laugh. These she-cats seemed nice. The black queen certainly wouldn't mind spending a few moons in the nursery with them.

* * *

The black queen stepped out of the nursery, blinking into the bright morning sunlight. Poppyfrost had convinced Nightcloud to leave her kits for just a few moments while she stretched her legs and got something to eat. She knew Eaglekit, Swallowkit, and Streamkit would fine with the tortoiseshell queen watching over them.

Nightcloud paused outside the nursery, watching the ThunderClan cats move around their camp. Squirrelflight and Bramblestar sat at the base of the High Ledge, sharing a rabbit and watching their kits stalk a butterfly. The apprentices were engaged in a mock fight, practicing their battle moves. Nightcloud could pick out Sorrelpaw's golden tabby pelt as the she-cat leaped onto the back of a gray apprentice. Brackenfur was standing in the center of the camp, talking to a few warriors about the day's patrols. Sandstorm and Graystripe laid outside the elder's den, telling the four younger kits a story. _They all seem so much like WindClan! _Nightcloud thought with a pang of sadness as she remembered her former Clan.

Realizing that ThunderClan was her home now and everyone here seemed to be welcoming, the she-cat felt her confidence rise. The sun was shining brightly on the crisp leaf-bare day. No one was sick or hurt. The Clans were at peace and Nightcloud had nothing to fear.

Feeling happier than she had since the Great Battle, the queen trotted to the fresh-kill pile. While studying the choices, Nightcloud almost didn't notice the light brown tabby also searching the pile. Nearly running into the other she-cat, Nightcloud opened her mouth to apologize when she recognized the cat. Shock froze the queen to her place, and no words came out of her opened mouth.

"Good morning, Nightcloud," Leafpool meowed curtly, inspecting the prey.

The queen regained her composure and took a deep, nervous breath. "Good morning, Leafpool. How are you?"

"Don't ask me that," the she-cat growled. "You don't really care to know."

Nightcloud lowered her head, studying her black paws. "I was just trying to be friendly."

The tabby medicine cat narrowed her amber eyes. "Why? We aren't friends."

"But I'm living here now," the queen meowed, "so I thought maybe we could just…"

"Your kits," Leafpool interrupted, "they aren't Crowfeather's?"

Nightcloud shook her head. "I only made that mistake once. He's a horrible father."

The fur on Leafpool's neck bristled. "He talks to Jayfeather and Lionblaze at Gatherings," she growled.

"I think we both know he likes your kits better than Breezepelt," the former WindClan she-cat meowed. "Just like he always loved you more than me."

The medicine cat snorted. "My kits didn't turn on the Clans during the Great Battle."

"But your kits had you, Squirrelflight, and Bramblestar to raise them and love them. My son was only ever insulted by his father," Nightcloud meowed, trying to defend her son. "I'm not saying it was right, but at least your kits had love. I tried loving Breezepelt enough for the both of us, but Crowfeather was always there to belittle everything he did. The Dark Forest knew Breezepelt was angry at his father. They gave him the attention he desperately wanted."

"Whatever," Leafpool hissed. "Breezepelt should never have been born. Crowfeather should never been with you at all." The tabby thrust her face into Nightcloud's. "And if you think I'm suddenly going to be your best friend, you're sorrowfully mistaken."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Mama?" a tiny voice squeaked.

Nightcloud opened one eye, barely awake. The queen had been in ThunderClan for a few days now, and her kits had just opened their eyes and started speaking. Hearing their little voices still surprised the black she-cat.

"Yes?" she asked, her eyes focusing on her tabby kit.

"Don't feel good," Streamkit sniffled, her voice breaking off with a loud cough.

At once the she-cat leaped to her paws, touching her nose to Streamkit's head. She recoiled at the feel of hot, sweaty fur. "You're burning up!"

"Cold," the tabby kit wailed, shivering. "Very cold."

Nightcloud felt a tremor of fear pulsing through her body. It was only early leaf-bare. If Streamkit got sick now, how could she survive the even colder weather to come? Glancing at her other two kits, the queen sighed with relief when she saw Eaglekit and Swallowkit sound asleep, the breathing slow and deep. They were okay.

Grabbing Streamkit by her scruff, the queen rushed out of the nursery. A blast of chilly early-morning air hit the mother and the kit, causing Streamkit to let out a pitiful wail. "Really cold!"

Nightcloud hurried to the medicine cats' den, noticing the camp was hauntingly empty. It was still too early for the Clan to be up and busy with their duties. Leafpool and Jayfeather would surely still be curled up in their nests.

Pushing through the lichen curtain that sheltered the medicine den from wind, the queen set Streamkit down on the soft, sandy earth. "Jayfeather! Leafpool! Help me, please!"

The light brown tabby she-cat's amber eyes flew opened, surprised to be awakened that early. Jayfeather woke up more slowly, stretching luxuriously before answering the distress call. "Nightcloud?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"It's Streamkit!" the queen cried. "Her pelt's burning up, but she's freezing and coughing."

The blind gray tom yawned and shook his pelt quickly, trying to wake himself enough to examine the kit. He stepped out of his mossy nest and padded closer to the sick kit, bending his head down to touch her fur.

"Cold!" Streamkit cried miserably. "Want warm!"

Jayfeather flicked his tail unhappily. "She has a fever," he growled impatiently.

The kit burst out in slew of coughs that shook her body violently. Leafpool heaved herself out of the nest, her eyes fixated on the kit. "It sounds like whitecough," she meowed.

"Please help her!" Nightcloud begged.

"Of course," the gray medicine cat meowed. "Put her in one of the spare nests." He pointed to a row of soft mossy nests in the far corner of the den.

The queen nodded and lifted her daughter gently, carrying her over to the nests. She set Streamkit down and sat beside her, wrapping a thick black tail around the tiny tabby.

Leafpool, who did not so much as look at Nightcloud, turned to her herb store. "Do we have feverfew, Jayfeather?"

"I don't think so," he mewed. "We have coltsfoot and catmint. That should work until we get some."

The brown tabby nodded brusquely, turning toward the den's exit. "I'll go and fetch some from the herb garden." She quickly left, not stopping to say anything to the worried mother.

Jayfeather sighed and flicked his tail with annoyance. "She's just upset, you know," he muttered.

"Why?" Nightcloud asked. "I haven't done anything to her."

The tom padded up to her and Streamkit, his jaws full of sweet-smelling herbs. "She still loves Crowfeather," he mewed, setting the herbs down. "She never stopped."

Nightcloud narrowed her eyes, feeling uncomfortable. "He never loved me. Sometimes I wish he'd never asked me to be his mate."

"Then you wouldn't have had Breezepelt," Jayfeather reasoned, tearing the leaves into small bites for the kit.

"He was a traitor," the queen mewed quietly. "Don't you hate him? Don't you hate me?"

Streamkit pushed the herbs away when the medicine cat shoved them her way. "Yucky!"

Jayfeather shook his head. "Yummy. These will make you feel all better. If you eat them, you'll be playing with your brother and sister in no time."

The kit stared at the medicine cat with a disbelieving look in her eyes, but she slowly began to chew the crunchy herbs.

The gray tom turned back to Nightcloud. "Breezepelt turned on the Clans during the great battle. He helped the Dark Forest kill innocent cats. I don't like him, but you're his mother. You're supposed to love your kits no matter how they screw up."

"I do love him," the queen whispered.

"And to answer your other question," Jayfeather continued, "no, I don't hate you. You're right- Crowfeather should never have been your mate. He still loved my mother. It wasn't fair to you or Breezepelt. I know he wasn't a good father."

Streamkit sat up in her nest. "Yucky things all gone!" she announced.

"Good," the medicine cat replied. "Now you lay down and take a nice long nap."

"Not tired!" the kit argued.

Jayfeather shrugged. "You will be."

Nightcloud glanced down at her little daughter. "Can I stay with her?"

"You have other kits to tend to."

"But they aren't sick," she persisted. "I really should stay with Streamkit."

The medicine cat shook his head. "Eaglekit and Swallowkit need you, too. They'll be wondering where you are."

The queen sighed, knowing he was right. "I'll be back to see her in a little while," she meowed as she stood up to leave."

"I'll be expecting you."

* * *

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath High Ledge for a Clan meeting," Bramblestar called from his spot on the ledge.

Nightcloud poked her head out of the nursery, watching her new Clanmates congregate in the center of the camp. The sun was just beginning to set, and the round moon was already almost as bright. _He must be announcing the cats going to the Gathering tonight,_ she thought as she sat down just outside her den, close enough to Eaglekit and Swallowkit to hear them if they cried out.

The dark brown tabby leader waited patiently as his Clan gathered. "Tonight will be an important Gathering. I plan on confronting Onestar on his treatment of Nightcloud. Any leader who would force an innocent Clan mate out and let her be nearly killed is acting outside the Warrior Code and this should not be tolerated."

The black she-cat squeezed her green eyes shut, wishing Bramblestar would just keep silent about the events of the past moon. It was over and done with, right?

"Nightcloud, I don't think it would be a good idea for you to attend this Gathering," the leader continued. "I don't want anyone to act hostile toward you."

"I understand, Bramblestar," she meowed respectfully. "I have a sick kit to attend too, anyway."

The leader dipped his head in reply. "And I'm sure she'll make a full recovery." He turned back to the cluster of eager ThunderClan cats waiting to hear who was attending the Gathering. "I'll be taking Brackenfur, Squirrelflight, Leafpool, Brightheart, Spiderleg, Mousewhisker, Cinderheart, Lionblaze, Ivypool, Hollypaw, Graystripe, and Sandstorm."

The chosen cats nodded enthusiastically. Squirrelflight leaped up onto the High Ledge to stand beside her mate. "Let's show WindClan they can't abuse their queens!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Nightcloud curled up in her nest, wrapping her long tail around Eaglekit and Swallowkit, shielding them from the cool wind that was sweeping in through the den's entrance.

"Mama, where's Streamkit?" Eaglekit squeaked, looking up at her with wide green eyes.

"Where's Sister?" Swallowkit echoed, pushing her mother's tail away.

The queen turned to glance out toward the direction of Jayfeather's den. "Your sister is sick," she meowed quietly. "But she'll be better soon."

"Want Streamkit," the tom kit huffed crossly.

The she-kit pushed herself up on tiny black paws. "I go get her."

Nightcloud shook her head. "No. She needs to rest. Streamkit will come back in a few days. I promise."

The kits narrowed their eyes, clearly displeased to hear their sister wouldn't be back sooner. Eaglekit let out a big sigh and flopped down on his side, stretching out across the soft mossy nest. Swallowkit curled up next to her brother, wrapping her tiny body around him. Her little eyes were beginning to droop as she opened her mouth in a large yawn. "'Night Mama," she mewed.

"Good night, dear," Nightcloud whispered.

Poppyfrost sent her new friend a gentle gaze. "Don't worry about Streamkit. She's young, but strong."

"She'll live," Cherryfall added. "Jayfeather's an excellent medicine cat."

A tiny creamy head popped out of Poppyfrost's nest. "Yeah! He helped me when Bluekit pushed me into a thorn bush! Jayfeather's great!"

"Rowankit, that's a lie!" Bluekit squeaked. "I never pushed you into anything!"

"Hush!" their mother scolded. "The younger kits are sleeping. It's time for you to go to sleep as well."

The tiny tortoiseshell she-cat with round blue eyes blinked sweetly. "But we're big kits, Mama. Cherryfall's kits and Nightcloud's kits are tiny!"

Nightcloud stifled a quiet laugh as she watched the tortoiseshell queen heave a long sigh. Poppyfrost swept her tail around the kits, trying to barricade them in their nest. Turning back to her own kits, Nightcloud laid her head on her paws and her soft tail over the tiny black bodies.

Cherryfall's quiet voice interrupted the momentary silence. "Are you worried about what's happening at the Gathering?"

Poppyfrost nodded. "I am. I'm sure Onestar won't be happy. Nightcloud, do you have any idea what he'll say?"

The black she-cat shook her head. "I don't even want to imagine. It won't be good, no matter what he says."

"Why was he so insistent you tell who the father is?" the ginger queen questioned. "Queens have always been able to keep the father a secret."

"I don't know," Nightcloud responded. "I guess it was because Crowfeather isn't the father."

Poppyfrost snorted. "I can't fault you for that. I always thought he was a jerk."

"Me too," Cherryfall added. "Have you heard how Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze talk about him? They don't think very highly of him."

"I think Leafpool's the only one who still does," Poppyfrost mewed.

The former WindClan queen tensed at the sound of the medicine cat's name. "She doesn't like me."

The ginger queen narrowed her eyes. "I don't know why. You never did anything wrong. Crowfeather used you. Don't feel bad."

Poppyfrost nodded in agreement. "Don't let her get to you. She was just caught off guard when she saw you. I'm sure she'll get used to you being around."

Three older kits burst into the nursery. "They're back! They're back!" the kits shrieked, waking all six of the younger kits in the nursery. "They're back from the Gathering!"

Cherryfall sighed heavily as Smokekit and Hazelkit popped their heads up. "Who's back?"

"We want to hear the news!" Bluekit cried, her brother jumping up beside her.

"And now we're all awake!" Poppyfrost sighed. "Thank you, you three," she meowed at the larger kits, who were still bouncing around the nursery.

"Are you coming to hear the news?" Tawnykit asked.

Runningkit nodded. "You have to come and hear! Father's really angry!"

Sunkit shoved his way passed his littermates. "Mama's angry, too!"

"WindClan?" Nightcloud asked, staring at Bramblestar's children.

"Oh yes!" Runningkit answered. "Come on- you'll miss the report!"

The three kits ran out of the nursery, leaving the queens to follow more slowly. Nightcloud pulled herself up, leaving Eaglekit and Swallowkit protesting as their mother padded out of the warm den. Seeing the patrol of cats who had been at the Gathering, the queen noticed all the other warriors were huddling around them, talking over one another as questions spilled out. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight leaped onto the High Ledge, signaling the Clan to quiet down. The black queen sat down on the soft, dewy grass, Poppyfrost and Cherryfall sitting down beside her.

"This can't be good," Cherryfall muttered. "Look how angry Squirrelflight looks."

"What happened tonight?" Poppyfrost wondered, her amber eyes wide.

Bramblestar waited until the camp was silent before he spoke. "I can see you're all wondering what happened, and I'm afraid I bring bad news. Onestar is demanding I send Nightcloud and her kits back to WindClan immediately."

Squirrelflight stood beside her mate, lashing her tail furiously. "He said we have no right to give her shelter. She's a traitor and should be punished. He claims that her kits are half-Clan and are against the warrior code."

"And he wants her back because of that?" a voice called out angrily. Jayfeather padded through the crowd, pushing himself to the base of the High Ledge. "How did he punish Crowfeather for fathering me?"

"Onestar seems to have lost his mind," the dark tabby leader growled. "He wasn't making sense. He was too angry to see clearly. "

Squirrelflight nodded in agreement. "It seems he has forgotten Crowfeather's past. And Crowfeather's demanding Nightcloud return as well. He says that she's his mate and he has a right to parent those kits."

"Like he parented Leafpool's kits?" Jayfeather spat. "They're both out of their minds!"

Fear swelled inside Nightcloud as she listened to the ThunderClan cats talk. She kneaded the ground with nervous paws. _What's going to happen to me? What will happen to my kits?_

Bramblestar's voice interrupted the queen's anguished thoughts. "That isn't all. Onestar said if we don't send Nightcloud and the kits back before the half-moon, WindClan will fight for them."

The queen jerked her head up, her green eyes widening with alarm. "Bramblestar, no!" she cried.

The leader narrowed his eyes. "Onestar is battle-hungry. I don't know how we can solve this without a fight."

"Send her back!" a tabby she-cat spat. Leafpool sat outside the medicine den, trembling with rage. "That's how we avoid a fight! Let Crowfeather and Onestar have her!"

Bramblestar shook his head. "I will not send her back to that Clan. I don't know what Onestar would do to Nightcloud, but it wouldn't be good. I cannot send innocent cats to their deaths."

"That's what you are doing!" Leafpool protested. "You're risking ThunderClan lives to save a WindClan cat! Get rid of her and protect your Clan!"

Nightcloud stood up slowly, padding to the base of the High Ledge nervously. "Bramblestar, may I say something?"

The leader nodded. "Go ahead."

"Please, don't send me back," she begged. "I've done nothing wrong. My kits aren't half-Clan. Crowfeather never loved me and he hates our son. How could I be his mate forever? I thought I'd finally found a tom who did love me, but I was wrong again. If you send me back, they'll hurt my kits. They'll hurt me. Please don't send my kits to their deaths!"

Bramblestar and Squirrelflight exchanged serious glances. The dark tabby turned to Nightcloud, his amber eyes shadowed grimly. "I will not send innocent kits to that dysfunctional Clan. I don't care what Onestar or Crowfeather say. We will fight to keep you safe. We will fight to keep the kits safe."

"Thank you," Nightcloud sighed, relief washing over her.

The tom looked out over his Clan. "We must prepare for battle. I want all the apprentices getting extra battle training. I want more prey caught and eaten. We must build up our strength. I don't know what kind of force Onestar will bring, but he has threatened kits, so he has threatened the Warrior Code itself. We are fighting to protect the very heart of every Clan. We are fighting for our future. We will protect the innocent lives that depend on us. We will fight!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Good news," a dark gray cat meowed as Nightcloud padded through the entrance of the medicine den.

The queen gave the tom a sharp look. "Streamkit?" she asked hopefully.

Jayfeather nodded. "The fever has gone down. She'll live."

Nightcloud heaved a sigh in relief. She glanced over toward the tiny tabby kit, who was curled up in a tight ball. Her little amber eyes were closed, and her chest rose and fell slowly with each deep breath. "She looks so small," the queen mewed.

"She's a halfmoon old," the medicine cat reminded her. "She'll be small for a while."

"I know, but Swallowkit and Eaglekit are a bit bigger," Nightcloud mewed. "Are you sure she's going to be okay?"

Jayfeather flicked his tail in annoyance. "I wouldn't have told you otherwise if she wasn't."

Another cat strolled into the den. Seeing Nightcloud, Leafpool narrowed her eyes and brushed passed her. "Did you tell her the kit's fine?" she growled to Jayfeather.

"Yes, Leafpool," he meowed, not bothering to turn toward his mother. He flicked his ears sympathetically. "Pay her no mind, Nightcloud. Someone just needs to get the burrs out of her fur."

The tabby snorted. "At least I never stole anyone's mate."

Nightcloud narrowed her eyes, feeling awkward and uncomfortable listening to the medicine cats bicker. She decided arguing with Leafpool was a waste of time and padded over to her kit. She touched Streamkit's soft fur with her nose, pleased to feel that it was no longer burning up.

The kit opened her eyes at her mother's touch and pushed herself up on short, stumpy legs. "Mama!" she squeaked. "You came to see me!"

"Of course I did!" the queen mewed, brushing her tail over her daughter's head. "I had to see how you were."

"Jayfeather says I can go back to the nursery soon!" Streamkit squealed.

Nightcloud let out a purr. "That's great. Eaglekit and Swallowkit miss you."

The tabby she-cat rubbed Nightcloud's shoulder with her head, purring quietly. "I miss you all too."

Leafpool padded over to the kit, carrying sweet-smelling coltsfoot in her mouth. Setting the herbs next to Streamkit, she meowed, "You won't get to go back if you don't eat your herbs."

"Yes, Leafpool!" the tiny tabby mewed, bending down to chew up the herbs. "They're icky, but I'm a big kit. I can handle it!"

The medicine cat nodded. "You sure can. You'll be a big, strong cat someday, Streamkit."

Nightcloud was surprised to hear the warmth in the older medicine cat's voice. Leafpool didn't talk to her like that. She watched the tabby with narrowed green eyes, wondering what was going on.

Leafpool must have guessed the queen's thoughts, because her gaze met Nightcloud's. "I have no quarrel with kits," she mewed simply.

Before Nightcloud could open her mouth to reply, a yowl sounded from outside the camp. The queen whipped around to face the entrance of the medicine den, and Jayfeather was already poking his head out. "WindClan!" he hissed, pushing out of the den.

The tabby medicine cat's gaze hardened. "Great. Just what we needed." She hurried after her son, leaving Nightcloud and Streamkit alone.

"What's WindClan, Mama?" Streamkit asked.

"Another group of cats," her mother replied, an uneasy feeling growing within her.

The tabby kit wrinkled her nose. "I like ThunderClan," she squeaked.

"I do too," Nightcloud meowed, padding toward the den's entrance. "I'm going to see what's going on." _And I don't want whoever came to see you!_

Mousewhisker was guarding the entrance to camp, his gray and white fur standing on end. The rest of ThunderClan was beginning to mill around the warrior, ready to confront the WindClan patrol that approached. Nightcloud sat down outside the Jayfeather and Leafpool's den, hoping not to draw attention to herself.

Three cats strolled confidently into ThunderClan's camp. The leader, Onestar, dipped his head to Mousewhisker. "Greetings," he meowed, his amber eyes dark and serious.

The ThunderClan tom planted himself firmly in front of the WindClan leader. "What are you doing here, Onestar?" he growled.

"I am here to speak with your leader," the tabby tom growled.

"I'm here," a deep voice growled. Nightcloud whipped her head back to see Bramblestar padding up to the WindClan patrol, Brackenfur and Squirrelflight following close behind. "Why are you here?"

Onestar feigned surprise. "I expect you know exactly why."

The brown and white tom standing behind the WindClan leader lashed his tail furiously. "We are here to bring our missing queen home."

"Harespring," the ThunderClan leader meowed, dipping his head. "How nice to see you."

The third cat, a very dark gray tom, pushed past his deputy and leader to stand nose-to-nose with Bramblestar. "Where is she?" he hissed.

The dark tabby leader did not immediately respond to the warrior. A growl rose in Brackenfur's throat, but it was Squirrelflight who was the first to speak. "Why do you care, Crowfeather?" she hissed. "You never cared about her."

Crowfeather glared at the dark ginger she-cat. "What right do you have to speak to me?" he spat. "You're no longer the deputy. I don't have to answer to you."

Bramblestar lashed his tail. "That's enough, Crowfeather. Squirrelflight chose to step down to raise our kits. _She_ is a good parent, and that's more than anyone can say about you."

"Don't speak to my warrior that way!" Onestar spat. "Just give us Nightcloud and the kits and we'll be on our way."

"I'm sorry," the dark tabby responded. "I didn't realize it was the half-moon already. I believe we still have a few days to decide what to do with them."

WindClan's leader narrowed his eyes. "I changed my mind. I want Nightcloud back now. I want our kits in WindClan where they belong."

Squirrelflight pushed in front of her mate to stand in front of the WindClan tom. "_Our _kits? Are they yours?" she asked incredulously.

Onestar's gaze softened. "Of course they are," he mewed innocently. "Why do you think I've been so insistent they come back? I only want to raise my kits."

"Then why threaten her?" the dark ginger cat spat. "Why make her your prisoner and let Crowfeather nearly kill her? She was still pregnant. If you cared about those kits at all, you wouldn't have let her die before they were born."

"Just give them back!" the tabby tom's snarled, unsheathing his claws. "Those kits are mine and I will take them by force if I have to!"

Bramblestar shook his head. "You, Harespring, and Crowfeather have been nothing but cruel to Nightcloud. You wanted to force her to name the father, when it's a queen's right to keep that a secret. You forced her out of your camp to live as a prisoner. You would have let Crowfeather kill her! Why do you think we'd send her back to a place that is cruel to its queens?"

"I want my kits!" Onestar shrieked, arching his back threateningly.

Crowfeather darted in front of his leader, blocking the tom from leaping at Bramblestar. "No! Not today, Onestar. You didn't bring a patrol. If you attack now, they'll tear us to shreds. Do you want to die before you get your kits back and make Nightcloud pay for taking them away from you?"

The leader glared at the warrior, fury sparking in his eyes. For a moment, Nightcloud wondered if he would attack Crowfeather for stopping him. After a long moment, Onestar sighed and sheathed his claws. "You're right," he meowed. "I came here to talk, not fight."

Bramblestar thrust his face into Onestar's. "Leave. Now. You are not welcome in our camp."

"We'll leave," Harespring growled, speaking for his leader, "but we'll be back. We will bring a fighting force and take Nightcloud and the kits."

"And we'll kill anyone who tries to stop us," Crowfeather spat, shooting a furious look at Squirrelflight."

The ThunderClan leader narrowed his eyes. "You do not threaten us in our camp. If you want war, you'll get one, but know this- we will fight until our dying breath to keep Nightcloud and her kits safe. No one deserves the cruelty you have forced on her, and no kit needs a father that is willing to kill their mother to get them."

Onestar glared at Bramblestar for a long moment, his jaws open to reply, but no sound came out. At long last, he whipped around and marched back through the entrance of the camp. "Harespring! Crowfeather!" he yowled as he disappeared into the forest.

The deputy gave Bramblestar one last glare before turning to follow his leader. Crowfeather waited until Harespring was gone, the anger dying from his blue eyes. "How is Leafpool?" he asked, trying to sound calm and caring.

"She's fine," Squirrelflight growled. "And so are your sons."

"Now leave," Bramblestar ordered. "I doubt they'll want to see you after this."

The dark gray tom glanced back and forth between the leader and deputy. "Fine," he grumbled. "I'll go. Tell them I wish them well."

"Go," the dark tabby leader spat, beginning to unsheathe his claws.

"Okay, okay," Crowfeather growled, turning to leave. "I just wanted to know how they were."

Squirrelflight watched as the tom left, her tail lashing back and forth quickly. "They're better off without you, mousedung!" she yowled after him.

_**(A/N: So now we know the father! Not that it should be a surprise. I didn't hide it. His anger at the beginning should have been the first clue, and then there's the fact the Streamkit looks exactly like him. Anyway, yes, I know his mate is Whitetail, but she's an elder now, and Onestar's beena jerk for a long time, so he seemed like a good candidate for a villain.**_

_**Will Leafpool still be cruel to Nightcloud? When will the first battle be? Are you excited for the next chapter?)**_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Mama!" a shrill voice yowled, yanking Nightcloud from a sound sleep. A queen opened her eyes to see a small tabby kit hurl herself into the nest, crashing against the black she-cat's pelt.

"Streamkit!" Nightcloud cried happily, seeing her kit's bright amber eyes shining. "You're all better!"

The tabby nodded. "Yes! Jayfeather and Leafpool said I could come back to the nursery!"

Her brother and sister woke up from their sleep. Eaglekit leaped to his paws. "Oh, great, you're back!" he squealed. "Now we can play!"

"Do you want to play moss-ball with us?" Swallowkit mewed, scrambling after her brother.

Streamkit's tail flicked happily. "I'll play anything!"

The kits' mother suppressed a laugh. "It's good to see you so full of energy," she meowed, a purr rumbling in her throat. "Now you three will start getting into all kinds of trouble!"

Her son gave his mother a serious glance, his green eyes narrowed. "Of course we won't get into trouble, Mama. We're good kits."

Swallowkit batted Eaglekit gently with a slender black paw. "I've got an idea! Let's go see if Sandstorm and Graystripe will tell us a story!"

"Who are they?" Streamkit asked, confusion showing in her round amber eyes.

"The elders!" Swallowkit meowed. "They tell great stories!"

Eaglekit nodded. "And the other kits are already there. They all went over really early to annoy Sandstorm. I bet we missed her yelling at Rowankit for pulling her tail."

Nightcloud ran her tail over the kit's head. "Well then, you'd better get going before Sandstorm gets mad at all the kits and bans them from her den."

The three kits nodded enthusiastically. Happily, they turned and ran out of the den without saying goodbye to their mother. Cherryfall and Poppyfrost chuckled softly as Nightcloud watched the kits leave.

"Now there'll be trouble," Cherryfall meowed.

"You won't be able to control them now," Poppyfrost added.

Nightcloud flicked her tail as she settled back into her nest. "But they're all healthy. I'll take unruly kits over sick kits any day."

The tortoiseshell queen nodded. "I know how you feel. When Cherryfall and Molewhisker were tiny, I'd freak out if either of them so much as sneezed."

"And sometimes Molewhisker and I would do it on purpose, just to scare her," Cherryfall admitted.

"But they turned out alright," Poppyfrost meowed, sending her daughter a proud look. "Berrynose and I did a good job with them."

Nightcloud felt a tremor of jealousness as she listened to the queens. Poppyfrost had Berrynose, a tom who loved her and their kits with all of his heart, and Cherryfall had his brother, Mousewhisker, as a mate. Both toms were wonderful- much better than Crowfeather or Onestar.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!" a loud voice called from center of camp, interrupting Nightcloud's jealous thoughts.

"I wonder what that could be," Cherryfall muttered, heaving herself to her paws and giving her ginger pelt a good shake.

Poppyfrost stretched luxuriously. "I'm guessing it's something about WindClan," she growled. "We'll have to be prepared for whatever happens. Onestar seemed serious about getting his kits back."

"He won't get them back," Nightcloud meowed, preparing to follow her new friends out of the nursery. "I won't let him."

Bramblestar was sitting on the High Ledge, watching the ThunderClan cats gather on the ground beneath him. Nightcloud followed Poppyfrost and Cherryfall to the center of the camp, sitting down next to the other queens. She noticed that Squirrelflight was sitting at the base of the ledge with her kits, and was furiously washing their fur.

_Bramblestar must be making his kits apprentices_, the black queen thought.

"Cats of ThunderClan," the dark tabby began, "by now you all have heard Onestar's threat. He will fight to get Nightcloud and his kits back. He has completely turned his back on the warrior code by threatening the most vulnerable. We must prepare for whatever he is planning to do, and we are going to need more fighters. Though it worries me that my kits have reached their sixth moon while WindClan is growing more dangerous, I must make them apprentices."

Nightcloud suddenly felt sorry for the ThunderClan leader. All he wanted to do was keep his children safe, but he couldn't push their ceremony back just because there might be a fight. Bramblestar couldn't let his warriors think he was showing favoritism. _I don't think I could send my kits into battle if I was a leader. Even if they're old enough to fight, I'd still want them to stay out of it. I wouldn't even wish Breezepelt to ever have to fight. _

"Sunkit, Runningkit, and Tawnykit, would you please step forward?" Bramblestar meowed, trying to sound cheerful.

The ginger tom stepped forward confidently, his dark tabby littermates following him with wide eyes. They paused directly under the ledge, staring up at their father expectantly.

Bramblestar looked down at his kits, and though worried, his amber eyes were brimming with pride. "Sunkit, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Sunpaw. Mousewhisker, you are without an apprentice, but you have proven yourself to be a skilled hunter and fighter. I trust you will teach Sunpaw well."

The gray and white tom padded forward to touch noses with the smaller ginger tom. "Certainly," he meowed, staring down at Sunpaw with friendly blue eyes.

As the two cats padded over to the side, Bramblestar continued the ceremony. "Runningkit, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Runningpaw. Lionblaze, you did an excellent job mentoring Dovewing. I assume you will be equally successful with Runningpaw."

The golden tabby tom shouldered his way to the front of the crowd. "Of course I will, Bramblestar," he replied, touching his nose to the smaller tabby.

Tawnykit let out a shrill squeal as her brother padded away with his mentor. "I'm next!"

"Quiet!" Squirrelflight hissed at her daughter, though everyone else stifled quiet laughs.

Bramblestar flicked his tail with amusement as his daughter whispered an apology. "Tawnykit, until you warn your warrior name, you will be known as Tawnypaw. Lilyheart, you have not yet had an apprentice, but your youthful energy will have a profound impact on your training. Tawnypaw will surely benefit from such a kind, selfless mentor."

The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat's eyes widened, clearly shocked to be chosen as a mentor. "Yes, Bramblestar!" she squeaked as she slowly padded forward. "I'll do my best."

"We have three more apprentices," the leader continued, "but we have no idea when WindClan will attack. Until then, carry out your duties as usual. We can only hope that Onestar will change his mind and leave Nightcloud alone, but that seems unlikely. Keep your ears up and eyes open. Apprentices, stay close to your mentors. We must be ready to fight when the time comes, but until then everyone must keep a watchful eye. Onestar may have the advantage because he knows when the battle will be, but StarClan will be on our side when the fight begins!"

* * *

"I hate this," Poppyfrost muttered, curling around Bluekit and Rowankit. The sun was just beginning to set, but the queens were getting their kits ready for a night's sleep.

Cherryfall kneaded her nest distractedly. "I just wish Onestar would leave us alone. It's not Nightcloud's fault he went insane."

"Then why do I feel like it's my fault?" the black queen mewed, glancing at her sleeping kits. "If I had never run away, you would all be safe. Cats might die because I ran away."

"But you'd be dead because Crowfeather would have killed you," Poppyfrost reminded her. "This is not your fault. It's Onestar and Crowfeather's. Don't blame yourself."

The black she-cat sighed heavily. "I should never have taken Crowfeather as a mate in the first place. Then none of this would ever have happened."

"Crowfeather!" Cherryfall spat, her ginger fur spiking. "From the way Leafpool talks about him, I'm surprised that _she _liked him. Don't feel bad about that. Even if he wasn't a good mate, he gave you Breezepelt."

"Who was a traitor!" Nightcloud mewed, her voice rising. "I couldn't even have a kit turn out okay!"

The ginger queen gave her a sympathetic glance. "You have these three. They'll be different. We won't let anything bad happen to them- especially not a bad father."

Before Nightcloud could open her mouth to reply, a loud yowl rang through the camp. The queens all turned to face the nursery entrance, their eyes wide with alarm as a voice cut through the still evening air. "WindClan! Attack!"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Nightcloud leaped to her paws, causing her kits to awaken, sleepily unaware that their home was under attack.

"What's going on?" Swallowkit mewed, rubbing her greens eyes with her paws. "What's all that noise?"

"Hush, little one," the black queen soothed, trying not to let her worry show.

Poppyfrost shouldered her way to the front of the nursery. "Kits, none of you must leave the nursery. Stay here until we come back." The tortoiseshell queen then left the nursery, leaving Cherryfall and Nightcloud to follow her.

The black she-cat froze as she saw Onestar and his warriors streaming into the camp. The ThunderClan cats rushed out from their dens to meet their attackers, and the camp erupted into a chaotic chorus of yowls as the battle started. Poppyfrost and Cherryfall ran into the thick of the battle, ready to help their Clanmates fight the invaders. Nightcloud positioned herself outside the nursery, knowing somebody had to protect the kits inside.

A ginger tom with white paws charged at the queen, leaping at her with an angry yowl. Nightcloud ducked, sending her attacker crashing to the grassy ground. She whipped around to lash out at his side, spraying little drops of red blood into the air.

"You think you can win this fight?" the tom snarled, arching his back. "Did you think you could steal our leader's kits and get away with it?"

"Weaselfur!" Nightcloud hissed, glaring at the ginger cat furiously. "Did you think you could attack a Clan in the safety of their camp and get away with it?"

The tom lashed his tail, raising his paw to rake the queen's muzzle. Nightcloud dodged Weaselfur's unsheathed claws, throwing herself beneath his belly and tearing at his thick fur. The tom spun around and lunged at her side, sinking his teeth into a bit of soft flesh. With a cry of pain, Nightcloud writhed out of his grasp and whirled back to slash his ears.

Weaselfur narrowed his eyes, realizing that the she-cat was not going to give up easily. He thrust his burly, larger body into her side and made the queen lose her footing. She fell to the ground, twisting under the tom's firm grasp as he pinned her down. Nightcloud allowed her body to go limp, trying to make the WindClan tom think she had given up. Before he had time to think, a blur of golden tabby fur crashed into him, sending the tom stumbling.

"Sorrelpaw!" Nightcloud gasped, pulling herself to her paws. "You saved me!"

"It was nothing," the apprentice meowed modestly. "I was defending a Clanmate."

The queen nodded, giving the smaller she-cat an approving look before the golden tabby ran off to fight a small back tom with a white chest. "Slightpaw!" Sorrelpaw yowled as she tore into him. "I'll show you who the tougher apprentice is!"

Nightcloud stood guard outside the nursery, painfully aware of how frightened the kits must be in there. She wondered briefly if Squirrelflight had ordered her own kits to stay inside the apprentices' den since they hadn't had any training yet.

A gray tom with two dark paws appeared out of the middle of the fight. Spying Nightcloud, the tom charged at her with wild force, springing into the air and landing squarely on her back. With a fierce yowl, the queen twisted and shook, throwing Emberfoot off. The tom landed on his side, but was back on his paws in a flash. Nightcloud took the chance do dive around him, lashing out at his side and ripping at his pelt with sharp claws. Emberfoot whirled around to face the queen, but she was too fast and raked her claws down his face. The tom yowled in pain as blood welled in his eyes. Shaking his head furiously, he leaped at Nightcloud and bowled her over, battering her stomach with strong hind paws. The queen shoved him off of her, biting one of his front paws in the process.

Seeing that Emberfoot was having a hard time battling the fierce queen, a brown and white tom raced to his aide. Harespring lunged at Nightcloud, scraping his claws down her ears while Emberfoot bit her tail. Fighting the two toms was too much for the queen, and she realized she wouldn't win this battle. Nightcloud was just about ready to admit defeat before the toms had a chance to kill her when a third WindClan cat appeared between the two others, shoving them away from the queen.

"Get away from her!" the black tom screeched, planting himself firmly in front of Nightcloud.

Emberfoot and Harespring gaped at the cat in shock, their sides heaving as they caught their breath. The WindClan deputy was the first to regain his composure. "Breezepelt," he hissed, "get out of the way!"

"Never!" Breezepelt spat, lashing his tail. "This is my mother you're trying to kill!"

Nightcloud made no effort to get around her son and continue the fight. Instead, she blocked the entrance of the nursery so the kits could not see what was happening. Watching the toms glare at each other, the queen felt a wave of confusion hit her. Why did Breezepelt stop them? He'd been trying so hard to make Harespring and Onestar believe he was actually loyal. If he didn't fight with them, they'd surely still think he was a traitor.

Emberfoot stalked up to the younger tom. "Why am I not surprised you're not fighting with us? A traitor is defending a traitor!"

"Get out of our way," Harespring added, digging his claws into the ground. "Or help us fight her. Nightcloud's a traitor. She deserves to die."

"I will not raise a claw against the only cat who's ever loved me!" Breezepelt snarled. "When all the rest of WindClan hated me, even as an apprentice, it was only my mother who stood up for me. I would never hurt her."

The WindClan deputy's eyes widened with rage. "Then we will fight you as well!" He crouched down, ready to spring at the black tom. Emberfoot did the same, prepared to help his deputy defeat the two traitors.

Before either tom could leap, Onestar's voice rang through the camp "WindClan, retreat!"

The four cats turned to look at where the leader was standing. Nightcloud realized that almost all of Onestar's patrol had already left. It was only him, Harespring, Emberfoot, and Breezepelt left.

"What do you mean, retreat?" Harespring spat to the tabby tom. "I nearly had her!"

"There's been enough bloodshed for one night," Onestar hissed, sending a furious glare at Lionblaze with cruel amber eyes. At the golden tom's paws lay a heap of brown tabby fur.

Nightcloud followed her former leader's gaze to the limp body. _Heathertail!_ she thought. _Lionblaze killed Onestar's daughter!_

The tabby leader turned to face Bramblestar, his body shaking with rage. "You have won this battle," he spat, "but you will not win forever. Now you've taken all of my children. I will get you for this. WindClan will make you pay for stealing my kits!"

He spun around and raced out of the camp. Harespring and Emberfoot exchanged a worried glance, and then took off after their leader. Only Breezepelt remained behind.

Nightcloud heaved a sigh of relief, knowing the battle was over. She dipped her head to her son. "Thank you," she mewed, almost inaudibly.

The black tom shook his head. "Don't thank me, Mother. You are the only one who's ever loved me. I could never hurt you."

The she-cat pressed her face into his soft fur, wishing her son was still a tiny kit. "I will always love you, Breezepelt."

"Yes, well," he meowed, slowly backing away, "I'd better go. Onestar's angry enough already."

Nightcloud stood frozen to the ground as she watched her eldest son walk away, not wanting him to leave. Harespring knew he had betrayed his Clan. Again. What would happen to Breezepelt now?

"Cats of ThunderClan," Bramblestar yowled, calling for his Clanmates' attention, "we have won this battle. We are lucky not to lose any warriors this time."

The black she-cat was glad to hear that. No ThunderClan cat had died because of her. That was a huge relief.

The ThunderClan leader continued. "Now not only does Onestar believe that we are keeping his youngest kits from him, but he lost his daughter in this fight. This will make him even more reckless and bloodthirsty. He will want to avenge her death, and we must be prepared. This was only a small victory. We can be certain there are more dark times ahead, and more lives will be lost. Stay strong, my Clanmates, for we don't know what dangers await in the days ahead."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Nightcloud stood outside the medicine cats' den, waiting for Jayfeather or Leafpool to look her over. The she-cat's left shoulder stung where Emberfoot had dug his claws into her flesh, one of her ears was torn at the tip, and she was missing several clumps of fur. Blossomfall and Bumblestripe stood beside the queen, hoping the medicine cats would get to them quickly.

"I'm glad no one was seriously injured," Blossomfall mewed, holding up a front paw gingerly.

Her brother nodded. "We were lucky this time. I only hope that now Onestar will leave us alone."

"I doubt he will," Nightcloud sighed, licking her shoulder gently. "We killed his daughter. He won't forget that quickly."

The gray tabby tom snorted, lashing his tail in annoyance. "He caused his daughter's death. Heathertail's death is on him, not us."

"Maybe I shouldn't have come here," the former WindClan cat meowed quietly. "The battle was really my fault."

"Don't say that!" Blossomfall hissed. "It's not your fault Onestar's a jerk. You just wanted what was best for your kits."

A brown tabby pushed out of the medicine cats' den, carrying a bundle of herbs in her mouth. She set them down in front of the three warriors, glancing over them with wide amber eyes. "Thank StarClan!" she meowed. "You three don't look so bad!"

"Is there someone with serious injuries?" Bumblestripe asked.

Leafpool nodded. "Thornclaw's got a deep belly wound, Brightheart's twisted her leg, and Cloudtail's laced with scratches. He's lost a lot of blood." She sniffed a wound on Bumblestripe's side. "This isn't too deep. Are there other wounds?"

"No, I don't think so," the tom responded. "I just wanted to make sure I was fit for duty."

"You'll live," the medicine cat mewed. "Come back if that gets infected, though."

Blossomfall heaved herself forward, still unwilling to put her paw down. "Can you look at me next?" she asked. "My paw hurts really bad."

Nightcloud winced as she watched the tortoiseshell try to put wait on the paw. The she-cat's eyes squeezed shut and she yelped in pain. It was clear that Blossomfall needed help.

"You've strained your paw," Leafpool noted. "It will be sore for a few days at least. Go see Jayfeather and he'll wrap it for you."

"Thank you!" the she-cat mewed, limping past the tabby toward the den.

Nightcloud stood awkwardly as Leafpool checked her wounds. She wondered if the medicine cat still harbored negative feelings toward her. Not knowing what to say, the queen stayed silent, staring at the ground nervously.

"You'll need a poultice on that shoulder," the tabby commented. "We need to keep it from getting infected."

"That would be nice," Nightcloud mewed cautiously, studying her paws.

Leafpool bent down and began chewing a few herbs into a pulp. "He hates you, doesn't he?"

"Onestar?" the black she-cat questioned. "I guess so."

"I meant Crowfeather."

Nightcloud swallowed, not quite willing to have this conversation. "He never liked me in the first place. I don't know what good it does to hate me now."

Leafpool glanced up at her, mixing the poultice with her paw. "He used you."

"Yes."

The tabby snorted, scooping of the mixture and pressing it onto Nightcloud's shoulder. "He used you to regain his reputation. He needed a mate, and he was going to get one even though he'd never love her."

Nightcloud flicked her tail back and forth. "He said he loved me," she mewed after a long hesitation. "He said he had always respected me and would love to raise a family with me. I believed him." She paused, a wave of sadness and regret pulsing through her. "I was a fool."

"No," Leafpool growled. "He was."

The black she-cat gave the medicine cat a surprised look. "I thought you still loved him."

"And I thought you stole him from me," the tabby meowed. "I can see I was wrong now."

"He really did love you, though," Nightcloud said, hoping that the harsh feelings Leafpool had had toward her were gone.

The medicine cat nodded. "He did, and I loved him too." Leafpool sighed heavily, sitting down in front of the black she-cat. "I don't blame you for what happened. It's not your fault you fell for him. I know he manipulated you to get what he wanted."

"Does this mean you don't hate me?"

"I can't hate a cat who only wanted to care for her kits," the tabby meowed simply, standing to her paws. "Go and see to them. I'm sure they're worried about you."

Nightcloud nodded, watching the she-cat push her way into the medicine den. Feeling hopeful that now the two of them could get along, the queen turned around and padded to the nursery. Slipping in through the narrow entrance, she saw her kits curled up together in their nest, sleeping soundly. The queen slowly stepped into her nest, wrapping her larger body around the three kits.

Almost at once the kits woke up, blinking bright eyes into the dim nursery. Eaglekit bounced to his paws happily when he saw Nightcloud there. "Mama, you're back!" he squeaked.

"Did you fight hard?" Swallowkit asked eagerly, jumping up beside her brother.

"I sure did!" Nightcloud meowed. "I fought until all the bad cats left."

Streamkit sat up, giving her mother a serious look. "Rowankit said those bad cats had come to take us away. Is that true?"

The queen hesitated, not sure how to answer her daughter. "Well…they did come to get kits."

"Why is WindClan fighting to get us?" Streamkit pressed. "I know they want us, Mama."

"Does it have to do with our father?" Swallowkit asked. "Is that why we never see him?"

Nightcloud sighed, knowing it wasn't right to keep the kits from the truth. "Yes, it does have to do with your father. He is the leader of WindClan."

The kits exchanged surprised glances. "Isn't that a good thing?" Eaglekit asked. "Doesn't that mean we're special?"

"And shouldn't we be in WindClan, too?" Swallowkit questioned.

The black she-cat pulled Swallowkit close, licking the kit's head gently. "Onestar- your father- is not a good cat. I thought he was, but he turned out to be very mean. I had to run away or he would have hurt me very badly."

"Why?" Streamkit asked, shaking her ruffled tabby fur.

"I don't know," Nightcloud mewed sadly. "I don't know if he had a reason."

Eaglekit tipped his head to one side. "And who's Breezepelt? We heard he save your life!"

The queen nodded, remembering how the tom had blocked Harespring from attacking her. "Breezepelt is my son- you're half-brother. His father is Crowfeather."

"Crowfeather?" Swallowkit gasped. "He's so mean! You had a kit with _him_?"

"Yes," Nightcloud mewed, "but that was a long time ago. He didn't love me or our son, so he isn't my mate anymore."

Streamkit pushed herself up against her mother's side, burying her tiny face in Nightcloud's thick pelts. "We love you, Mama."

"Yeah!" Eaglekit squeaked. "We love you enough for Crowfeather and Onestar!"

The queen sighed happily, pulling her son close so she could snuggle with all three kits. "Thank you, love. I'll love you enough for both parents. I will always love you, not matter what."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Nightcloud stretched out in her nest, careful not to wake her three sleeping kits. Watery sunlight was beginning to stream through the nursery's entrance, alerting the queen that morning had come. The black she-cat slowly stood up and stepped out of her nest, poking her head through the entrance. A blast of chilly air hit her face, causing her to blink quickly to get her eyes used to the cold.

"Good morning, Nightcloud!" a dark ginger she-cat meowed pleasantly, padding up to the queen.

"Greetings, Squirrelflight," Nightcloud replied, dipping her head respectfully.

Squirrelflight sat down on the frosty grass and ran a paw over her face. "Leaf-bare has finally arrived, hasn't it?"

"Yes," the queen agreed. "It won't be long until the snow comes."

"My kits are excited to see snow for the first time," Squirrelflight meowed. "They'll enjoy it for a day before they realize how much harder hunting is when they sink through it."

Nightcloud nodded absently. "How are the warriors recovering?" she asked, changing the subject. "I know Thornclaw, Brightheart, and Cloudtail were wounded badly in the battle."

The ginger she-cat sighed heavily. "Jayfeather says Cloudtail and Brightheart may join the elders. Their wounds may have taken a greater toll on them than we thought."

"I can't believe it's been a half-moon already since that awful night," the queen mewed. "I wonder what Onestar will do next. Surely he'll want to avenge Heathertail's death."

"I guess we'll find out at the Gathering tonight," Squirrelflight said. "I'm sure Onestar will start some kind of trouble." She sighed again, her green eyes staring at some imaginary scene in front of her. "It's hard for me to admit, but I'm glad I didn't ask to be deputy again when my kits were made apprentices. I'd gladly let Brackenfur make the decisions now."

Nightcloud nodded, understanding. "You just want your kits to be safe."

"Isn't that what we all want?" the ginger she-cat asked. "What kind of world do we live in where a queen can't protect their kits?"

* * *

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath High Ledge for a Clan meeting," Bramblestar called from his perch on the smooth gray stone.

Nightcloud glanced up at the leader from her spot outside the nursery, where she was eating a thin vole. Her kits bounced around her while she ate.

"He's going to announce who's going to the Gathering!" Swallowkit mewed.

"I wonder who gets to go," Eaglekit squeaked, watching the leader with wide green eyes.

Streamkit sat down next to her mother. "I wonder if Onestar will cause more trouble," she growled, a serious look in her dark amber eyes.

Their mother stood up and shook her pelt. "You'll have to stay quiet if you want to hear," she scolded gently. "Sit still now!"

Bramblestar looked out over the crowd of cats gathering in the center of the camp. Once he was satisfied at the turnout, he stood up to begin his announcement. "We have had quite an exciting moon. First Onestar, Harespring, and Crowfeather threaten us in our own camp, and then Onestar leads an attack against us. This will be an important Gathering, and I expect we will have a rather hostile reception from WindClan."

"Are you going to challenge them for attacking us?" Berrynose hissed, leaping to his paws. "They attacked in our camp! Kits could have been hurt!"

"I will certainly mention the battle tonight," the dark tabby leader growled. "Onestar must answer for his actions."

Berrynose snorted as he settled down, lashing his tail furiously. Poppyfrost pressed up against her mate, whispering something in his ear that seemed to soothe him.

Bramblestar sighed heavily, shaking his head slowly. "WindClan will be angry tonight, but so are we. I can only hope they keep the truce. It would not surprise me if StarClan sent clouds to cover the moon."

Brackenfur leaped up on the ledge beside his leader. "We would like Nightcloud to come with us tonight. We think that perhaps maybe she could persuade Onestar to back down and let us be."

The queen's eyes widened. "Me?" she gasped. "Surely seeing me would only cause more problems!"

"But it's worth a shot," the golden tabby meowed. "I don't think Onestar's going to listen to Bramblestar. If he won't listen to reason from us, maybe he'll listen to you."

"What would I say?" Nightcloud asked, a wave of nervousness pulsing though her. "What if I only make him angrier?"

Bramblestar exchanged a glance with his deputy. "We're hoping that if you can convince him that the kits are alright and safe that he will back down for their sake. If he truly cares about them, then their happiness should mean more than having them in WindClan."

The queen shifted her paws, glancing at her kits. They were sitting in a stony silence, not reacting to the leader's words. Sighing, Nightcloud nodded. "Then I will come to the Gathering. All I want is my kits to be safe. Hopefully Onestar will want that as well."

"Very good," the dark tabby meowed. "I would like to try to resolve this peacefully without any more spilled blood if possible. Onestar's already lost one warrior, and surely won't want to risk losing more. If we can't reach an agreement peacefully, though, I want him to know ThunderClan will fight to keep those kits safe."

Nightcloud dipped her head. "That's all I want."

Brackenfur nodded, giving the queen an approving glance. "We will also take Mousewhisker, Molewhisker, Cinderheart, Rosepetal, Birchfall, Whitewing, Spiderleg, Sorrelpaw, and Fernpaw to the Gathering."

"Those of you who are going tonight should rest," Bramblestar ordered. "We will leave when the sky begins to darken."

* * *

"Why does our father have to be so mean?" Eaglekit squeaked, giving his mother a worried look.

Nightcloud shook her head sadly, wrapping her tail around her son's shoulders. "I don't know. I thought he wanted kits, but as soon as he learned I was going to have you he got really mean."

"That's not nice!" Swallowkit hissed. "I wish I was old enough to go to the Gathering. I'd give Onestar a piece of my mind!"

"Now, I'll have none of that," the queen scolded. "We must try to reason with him. Maybe if we are nice to Onestar, he will be nice to us."

Eaglekit pushed away from his mother, unsheathing his claws. "Father made you leave home! He doesn't deserve us being nice to him! We should fight and make _him_ be nice."

Streamkit sat quietly in the corner of the nest, her striped tail wrapped delicately around her paws. "Fighting should never come first," she mewed, barely loud enough to hear. "Violence never solves problems. It only causes more."

"But Father deserves violence!" Eaglekit pressed, digging tiny claws into the mossy nest. "He kicked Mama out of camp and nearly let Crowfeather kill her! Peace doesn't work."

The tabby kit only shook her head. "If we fight fire with fire, we only cause a bigger fire."

Nightcloud stared at her little daughter, surprised to hear such wisdom from the kit. "Streamkit is right, Eaglekit," she meowed. "We need to try to bring peace first. We only fight when we have to."

The tom narrowed his eyes, lashing his tail. "As long as our father is around, there will never be peace. You need to fight to get the peace you want."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Nightcloud stood nervously at the base of the thick log bridge that led to the island where Gatherings took place. The queen had not been to a Gathering in many moons, and this was the first she'd been to since joining ThunderClan. She knew Onestar would be furious to see her tonight, and he was already furious enough. If Crowfeather was there as well, Nightcloud was sure this night would be worse than anything she could imagine.

A dark cream she-cat padded up beside the queen. "Nervous?" she asked, leaping onto the log.

Nightcloud nodded, jumping up beside her Clanmate. "Yes, Rosepetal," she mewed, digging her claws into the worn, rough bark. "Tonight will not be a peaceful Gathering."

"Are you hoping Onestar left Crowfeather back at camp?" the younger she-cat asked, stepping to the side so Nightcloud could walk beside her.

"Yes. Actually, I'm kind of hoping Onestar doesn't come at all."

Rosepetal gave the queen a sympathetic glance. "Too bad he's the leader. He kind of has of be here."

Nightcloud sighed as she padded slowly across the log. "I know, but I don't have to like it."

Jumping down from the log onto the soft, dewy grass, Nightcloud paused and glanced around the island. Scanning the crowd of cats, she recognized RiverClan and ShadowClan cats she hadn't seen in moons. They looked well, with sleek pelts and shining eyes. Leaf-bare had not hit them too hard yet. The WindClan cats were already at the island as well, intermingling with the other Clans. Nightcloud decided not to draw attention to herself and followed her Clanmates with her head down, staring at the ground silently.

A golden tabby she-cat bounded up beside the black queen. "Are you going to talk to your old friends?" she asked, her eyes shining cheerfully.

Nightcloud shook her head. "I don't want to talk to anyone, Sorrelpaw. There's no one in WindClan who likes me besides Breezepelt."

A gray tabby padded up beside the golden apprentice. "Are you looking for him?" Fernpaw questioned. "Maybe he will be here tonight."

"Oh, I'll find him!" Sorrelpaw volunteered, bouncing on her paws excitedly.

"That's quite alright," Nightcloud mewed, giving the apprentice a gentle cuff around the ears. "If he's here I'm sure I'll see him."

Fernpaw shifted her paws uncomfortably. "Do you think Onestar or Crowfeather will break the truce?"

The queen shook her head. "I certainly hope not, but I don't know. Onestar was pretty mad that Heathertail died."

A yowl sounded from the large tree where the leaders sat, perched high on the thick branches. Rowanstar was calling for the Gathering to begin, his dark ginger fur fluffed up against the cold. Mistystar sat next to him, her tail wrapped delicately around her paws. Bramblestar sat on the branch below them, watching two ShadowClan apprentices demonstrate a battle move. Onestar sat on a branch on the other side of the tree, not paying attention to the other leaders at all. The tabby tom was staring out into the crowd of cats, his amber eyes glittering ominously.

"Oh, we'd better find a spot to sit!" Fernpaw exclaimed, scanning the island for a bare spot in the grass.

Sorrelpaw glanced at Nightcloud. "You can sit with us! We'll keep you safe from those mean old WindClan cats!"

The black she-cat nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Sorrelpaw." She followed the two apprentices to a spot toward the back of the island, out of sight of most of the Clan cats. The queen settled in between the two apprentices, who were quivering with excitement.

"Can we start this Gathering now?" Rowanstar meowed. "I could be in a nice warm den right now, you know."

"Oh, Rowanstar, it's not that cold out," Mistystar mewed teasingly, batting the tom with her gray tail.

The ShadowClan leader snorted. "Easy for you to say. You've got thicker fur than me!"

Bramblestar nodded from his spot on the branch just below the RiverClan and ShadowClan leaders. "Maybe if you ate fewer lizards and frogs your fur would be thicker!"

"Whatever," Rowanstar growled. "I'm going to start the Gathering then, since the other leaders apparently just want to poke fun at me." He stood up, balancing on the branch of the old tree. "ShadowClan has had a good moon. We are glad that leaf-bare has come later than usual. Prey is still running will in our territory. We've had a nice, peaceful moon and look forward for another moon of peace."

Mistystar took her turn next. "We too have had a peaceful moon. We have two new apprentices- Ashpaw and Frostpaw- and a new litter of kits was born to Graymist. Thankfully this time she didn't name one Sneezekit!"

The gathered cats let out a quiet laugh as Mistystar added that bit of information. Graymist was certainly known for her odd choice of kits' names.

ThunderClan's dark tabby leader stood up, shaking his pelt before he spoke. "Well, we have had a rather exciting moon. First WindClan threatened us and then they attacked us in our own camp for doing nothing more than protecting kits- just as the warrior code expects we do."

Onestar leaped to his paws, glaring furiously at Bramblestar. "You stole my queen and my kits! How do you call that nothing? I only wanted to have my family back, and you kept them from me! And when you refused to hand over _my kits_, what else would I be expected to do but attack?"

"Nightcloud came to us for safety," Bramblestar hissed. "You forced her out of your Clan. Don't you dare blame us for that. Her kits were in danger."

"My kits were not in danger!" the WindClan leader yowled. "Do you think I would hurt my own children? I was fighting for my family! And in that fight my own precious daughter was killed! How do you think I felt about that? How do you think Whitetail felt, knowing her only daughter was dead?"

Mistystar opened her mouth, looking as if she would like to say something, but the ThunderClan leader didn't give her a chance.

Bramblestar's eyes were narrowed ominously. He whipped around and stared out into the crowd of cats. "Nightcloud, tell this cat exactly why you came to us!"

The black she-cat froze as her leader called out to her. She didn't want to cause any more trouble than she already had. Slowly, the queen rose to her paws, swallowing nervously as every cat on the island turned to stare at her. "I thought Onestar loved me," she began quietly. "I was wrong. I thought I had finally found someone who would return my love, but he only wanted to replace the warriors we lost during the great battle. He tricked me. He never loved me, and I don't think he would have loved these kits."

"Liar!" Onestar spat. "She lies! I always loved you! Whitetail meant nothing to me. You were the only one I ever loved."

Nightcloud felt her fear ebbing away, anger taking its place. "No! You're the liar!" she yowled. "You threatened me! First you wanted to keep me a secret from Whitetail, and then when you found out about the kits you suddenly wanted everyone to know. You wanted everyone to know the great leader of WindClan could have one mate in the elders den and another in the nursery. When I refused to let my kits be pawns in your game, you cast me out! You never cared about me or them!"

The tabby tom leaped down from the tree, pushing his way through the crowd of cats until he was standing face-to-face with the queen. "I want those kits! They are mine and you have no right to keep them from me!"

A yowl sounded from the leaders' tree. "Onestar, leave her alone!" Bramblestar snarled, lashing his tail. "She's only done what a mother should- kept her kits safe from danger."

Onestar shook his head, unsheathing his claws and thrusting them into the ground. "They're mine! They're mine! I want my kits!" he howled, raising his heads to the dark night sky. "Just give me my kits!"

A dark gray tom shouldered his way toward Onestar, anger rippling through his pelt. His blue eyes blazing with fury, the tom planted himself in front of Nightcloud. "Come back to WindClan," Crowfeather spat. "Come back where you belong. You have no right to keep Onestar from his kits!"

Nightcloud blinked, stepping back from the furious toms nervously. Sorrelpaw and Fernpaw quickly shoved their way in front of the queen, staring at the WindClan cats angrily.

"You leave her alone!" Sorrelpaw spat. "She doesn't want either one of you near her or her kits!"

Fernpaw nodded. "And there's a truce tonight! Do you want to make StarClan angry?"

"The apprentice is right!" Mistystar called from the tree. "Onestar, stand down! You can't provoke a fight on the full moon!"

Onestar whirled around to glare the gray she-cat. His eyes were wide with fury, and specks of white foam bubbled around his mouth. "Watch me!" he snarled, turning back to Nightcloud and leaping onto the queen with all the force he could muster.

Nightcloud, unprepared for the attack, buckled under the tom's weight as he crashed into her. Fear pulsing through her as she stared up at the WindClan leader, she didn't hear the island erupt in the yowls of angry cats or see a thick cloud float in front of the moon, turning the sky a deadly black.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Stop!" A loud yowl cut through the crowd of cats on the island. Nightcloud couldn't see who had cried out- all she could see was Onestar's glowing amber eyes staring down at her, brimming with hatred.

"Stop this at once!" the voice called again, ringing over the land. "A cloud has covered the moon. StarClan is angry!"

The brown tabby standing over Nightcloud turned his head toward the voice, still digging his claws into the queen's shoulders. "StarClan is angry that this she-cat is keeping her kits from me!" he howled back. "They are on my side, Bramblestar!"

Nightcloud used Onestar's distraction to roll over, pushing the large tom off. She leaped to her paws, her green eyes wide with fright. To her horror, the WindClan and ThunderClan cats were standing face-to-face, some still poised to strike another cat. The ShadowClan and RiverClan cats had backed away, standing close to the old oak tree where the leaders sat.

Bramblestar leaped off of his branch, stalking up to the WindClan leader. "You have broken the truce," he hissed, lashing his tail. "You have let your anger get the better of you. The Gathering is a time of peace, not bloodshed."

"StarClan wants me to have my kits!" Onestar snarled, raising a paw to slash across the dark tabby's face. Bramblestar stepped to the side, dodging the unsheathed claws.

"Do they?" he asked, keeping his voice calm. His eyes locked with Onestar's, holding the WindClan leader's furious gaze.

The island fell completely silent. Every cat stood still, watching the two leaders in quiet fascination and horror. Nightcloud took this opportunity to back away slowly, allowing Sorrelpaw and Fernpaw to take defensive positions in front of her.

Onestar finally turned his gaze away from Bramblestar, scanning the crowd of cats watching him. "StarClan has taken my family from me," he growled. "Every kit Whitetail and I had are now dead. Nightcloud ran away while she was carrying my kits. Now just in the last moon my beloved Whitetail died of greencough. Everyone in my family is gone. StarClan has taken away everything I love. How can you expect me still to follow their rules?"

The ThunderClan leader shook his head. "Everyone loses the ones they love. That doesn't mean StarClan no longer cares. You still have to follow their code. Do you think they want you to kill the mother of your only surviving children?"

"I don't care what they want!" Onestar spat. He jerked his head in Nightcloud's direction, causing her to flinch under his gaze. "I want her!"

"But I don't want you!" the black she-cat cried, staring at her former leader in horror. "I just want to raise my kits in peace!"

The tabby snorted, shaking his head. "If you will not come back and surrender our kits to me, then I'll kill you. I don't care what StarClan says."

He dropped to a crouch, preparing to leap at the she-cat. Bramblestar shoved his way in front of Onestar, thrusting his broad shoulders into the skinny tom, knocking him over. "Fine," he hissed. "If you want a fight, then you'll have one. You're fighting to break the warrior code, but I'll fight to defend it."

"Bramblestar?" a russet-colored tom called from the oak tree.

The tabby glanced up at the ShadowClan leader. "Yes, Rowanstar?"

"ShadowClan will stay and fight beside you," the tom meowed, twitching his tail. "We do not support Clans who would endanger innocent kits or kill queens for protecting them."

"RiverClan will stay as well," Mistystar announced. "Onestar is acting outside the warrior code, and I will not stand and watch him kill a mother who has done nothing but care for her children."

Onestar heaved himself to his paws, casting the other leaders a furious glare. "You'd let me fight this war on my own?" he spat. "Rowanstar, you've had problems with ThunderClan not minding their own business. Won't you help me fight them?"

The russet tom leaped down from the tree, shaking his pelt roughly. "ThunderClan may be nosy, but they do not hurt innocent cats," he hissed. "I will stand beside any cat who defends those who cannot defend themselves."

"Mistystar," Onestar continued, his amber eyes flashing with grim determination. "Our Clans worked together to drive out a team of foxes. Can't we work together now?"

"No," the gray she-cat spat, "we can't. You are asking me to fight and possibly kill innocent cats."

The tabby tom shifted his paws, glancing angrily between the three other leaders. "Fine, then. WindClan will fight you all."

"Don't be stupid," Rowanstar growled. "You're asking your Clan fight a group three times their size. You won't win."

Onestar's eyes widened, blazing with anger. With a loud hiss, he leaped at the tom, bowling the ShadowClan leader over. Immediately every cat joined in the fight, leaping at each other with screeches of defiant fury.

Nightcloud's eyes darted around the island. _How could Onestar possibly believe he was going to win this fight?_ she thought, watching teams of ShadowClan, RiverClan, and ThunderClan cats fight side by side.

"Onestar's a bigger mousebrain than I thought!" Fernpaw mewed in awe, still standing in front of the queen.

"He's going to lose for sure!" Sorrelpaw agreed.

The black she-cat shook her head sadly. "But how many lives will be lost tonight because of him?"

The apprentices turned around to answer their friend, but before they could reply a brown and white blur shot across the grass, crashing into Nightcloud. The queen rolled on the ground, kicking her hind paws madly as she caught Harespring's side with her claws. The WindClan deputy whirled around, slashing his claws across Nightcloud's nose. Shaking her head to clear the pain, she darted around to his side, raking his pelt with her claws. She thrust her teeth into his tail, causing the tom to cry out in pain as he twisted to see his opponent.

"Leave her alone!" Sorrelpaw cried, launching her lithe golden body onto his back. The apprentice dug her claws into his back, not allowing him to shake her off.

Fernpaw swiped at Harespring's chest, spraying droplets of blood into the air. She dodged his paws and dove under him, knocking the tom off balance. Nightcloud then shoved her should into his side, knocking him over.

"Stop this madness!" Mistystar cried from the center of the island.

Nightcloud glanced up at the gray leader, who was standing over a limp gray tabby body. The RiverClan leader was staring down at the body in horror, shaking her head sadly.

"What are we doing?" she cried. "Killing each other on the night of a Gathering? Is this what you want, Onestar?"

Only silence greeted Mistystar's call. Nightcloud glanced around the island, searching for the brown tabby leader. Her eyes fell on a lump of matted, mangled fur lying at the base of a thing tree. Mousewhisker, Tawnypelt, Snowbird, and Rosepetal stood over him, their sides heaving as they fought for breath.

Harespring tore himself lose from the apprentices' grasp and raced over to his leader. "He's dead!" the tom wailed, shoving the ThunderClan and ShadowClan cats away from Onestar's body. "He was on his ninth life!"

The deputy's eyes closed as he dropped beside Onestar. Nightcloud watched as he buried his face in the leader's fur, shaking with sorrow. Every cat on the island had fell silent, watching Harespring with horror in their eyes. The death of a leader at a Gathering was a great tragedy, even if he had caused the fight.

Harespring finally sighed and stood up, casting a mournful look at his dead leader. He then whirled around to glare at Nightcloud, fury burning in his amber eyes. "You!" he spat. "You killed him!"

"I did not!" Nightcloud cried. "I was fighting you!"

"But this battle was your fault!" the brown and white tom howled, lashing his tail. "This isn't over, ThunderClan! I will make you pay for this and I will not rest until all of you are dead!"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Mama, is Harespring going to take us away?"

Nightcloud opened her eyes, focusing on the tiny black kit standing in front of her. "Eaglekit, it's the middle of the night. Go back to sleep."

Eaglekit shook his head. "I want to know! If our father is dead, why would Harespring want us?"

"Because Onestar died fighting for you," the tired queen mewed, yawning. She stretched slowly, glancing at her other two kits, who were curled up together in a tight ball. "Harespring won't want his death to be in vain."

"But what will happen if he wins?" the kit questioned. "I don't want to live in WindClan! I'm a ThunderClan cat!"

Nightcloud nodded to her son, wrapping her tail around his little body. "Of course you are, dear. We are all ThunderClan cats now."

Eaglekit shifted his paws, staring down at the mossy nest. "Harespring would be mean to us, wouldn't he?"

"Probably," his mother mewed. "In his mind it's our fault Onestar is dead. He'll want to avenge his leader's death. To him that means fighting ThunderClan and getting us back."

"He would probably make us his prisoners," the kit grumbled. "I wish I could fight him! I'd show him that he can't mess with ThunderClan!"

The black she-cat sighed, resting her muzzle on Eaglekit's head. "There will be plenty of fights when you're older, little one. Don't be so eager."

Eaglekit pushed away from his mother, shaking his head angrily. "Harespring is a big meanie! He wants to hurt you! No one hurts my mother and gets away with it!"

Nightcloud settled back down into her nest, pulling her son up against her. "He won't. ThunderClan won't let him hurt me."

"I just want to help," the kit squeaked, burrowing into his mother's side. "I don't want to lose my mama."

"I don't want to lose you, either."

* * *

"Is Harestar insane?" Bramblestar spat, pacing in front of Thornclaw madly.

Nightcloud sat stiffly outside the nursery, watching Thornclaw tell the leader what he had seen on the sunhigh border patrol. Her kits sat closely beside her, watching the toms with silent curiosity.

The golden tabby warrior was lashing his tail furiously. "I'm afraid all of WindClan's lost their minds!" he hissed. "Who did you think Harestar would appoint as his deputy?"

"Now WindClan will be even more hostile!" Bramblestar grumbled. "Harestar as made a grave mistake if he thinks Crowfeather will be a good deputy."

Thornclaw nodded seriously. "If anything, he'll only stir up even more aggression."

"Who's Crowfeather again?" Swallowkit mewed, interrupting Nightcloud's observation.

The queen glanced down at her kit, who was staring up at her with round green eyes. "He was my former mate. Breezepelt's father."

"Oh, that was the nice cat who stopped Harestar and Emberfoot from hurting you, right?" Streamkit asked.

"Yes, Breezepelt saved my life," Nightcloud replied. "Crowfeather is his father."

Eaglekit unsheathed his tiny claws, glaring at some imaginary sight in front of him. "Crowfeather is a load of foxdung!" he spat. "He doesn't deserve to be deputy!"

"You're right, kit," Berrynose growled, shouldering past the family on his way to visit Poppyfrost. "But Harestar doesn't deserve to be leader, either."

"He chose Crowfeather as deputy deliberately," Nightcloud sighed. "He knows Crowfeather hates me more than anything!"

Berrynose snorted, shaking his creamy head. "Crowfeather hates everything. He won't be half the deputy his mother was."

"Why do I feel like things are only going to get worse?" the queen fretted, staring down at the dull grass.

"Because they are," the tom mumbled. "There are dark times upon us."

* * *

Nightcloud sat beside her new Clanmates, eating a sparrow and listening to the warriors converse with each other. Cherryfall had agreed to watch the kits for a while so the queen could take a short break.

"How long do you think it will be before we're attacked again?" Rosepetal asked, pulling feathers out of robin.

Bumblestripe shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just hoping maybe Harestar will forget about us and try to be a good leader for WindClan."

"You know that won't happen!" Molewhisker laughed harshly. "No, what we should do is attack them first!"

"But then we'll be the instigators!" Lilyheart objected. "So far we've been in the right. If we attack them, then we will be the bad ones."

Snowtail shook his head, disagreeing with the tortoiseshell. "No, it would show them that we're strong enough to defend ourselves and that we won't let them order us around!"

"Nightcloud, what do you think we should do?" Rosepetal asked. "Should we attack them before they get the chance?"

The black queen looked up sharply, her eyes widening. "No! We've already fought two battles against WindClan. Why start a third?"

"Because it will happen anyway," Molewhisker argued, shaking his brown-and-cream pelt.

"ThunderClan has already suffered enough because of me," Nightcloud sighed, staring at her prey sadly. "Maybe I should just go back. If Harestar and Crowfeather get want they want, they'll leave you all alone."

The other warriors all shook their head, not liking the queen's suggestion. Snowtail cast her a sympathetic glance. "If you go back, they'll kill you."

"And who knows what would happen to your kits!" Lilyheart added.

Molewhisker nodded. "We all agreed to defend you and protect those kits. You've done nothing wrong- they have. WindClan has broken the warrior code by endangering innocent kits. We're not fighting just to save you, but the code as well."

"We're only doing what is right," Rosepetal meowed. "What kind of cruel, sick cats would let a queen and her children suffer?"

"You're one of us now," Bumblestripe said, giving Nightcloud a friendly glance. "We like you, and your kits are adorable. We can't send you away now."

The queen opened her mouth to reply to the pale tabby, but a loud cry cut her off. Whipping her head around to face the camp entrance, she saw a black tom tear through the bracken barrier. He halted at the entrance, his sides heaving as he fought for breath.

The Clan stared at the intruder, alarmed by the tom's loud entrance. Bramblestar was already hurrying to meet the cat, an anxious expression clouding his amber eyes. Before he could reach the tom, Nightcloud had already raced to his side, recognizing the cat instantly.

"Breezepelt!"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The black tom shifted his paws nervously, glancing away from his mother as she skidded to a stop beside him, joy brimming in her green eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Nightcloud asked, her initial happiness fading as she saw the nervous look in his amber eyes.

Bramblestar, who had finally reached the intruded, narrowed his eyes. "Yes, Breezepelt," he mewed calmly, "what are you doing here?"

Breezepelt dipped his head respectfully to the dark tabby leader. "I am sorry for trespassing, Bramblestar, but things are getting worse in WindClan."

"I expected as much," the tabby tom growled, flicking his tail, "but why have you come?"

The WindClan tom hesitated, looking as if he did not want to answer. Nightcloud pressed up against him, trying to comfort her son. "It's okay, dear," she mewed. "Tell Bramblestar what's wrong."

"Harestar and Crowfeather are furious," Breezepelt finally meowed, his voice hardening. "They've lost their minds. Harestar blames ThunderClan for Onestar's death, Crowfeather wants Nightcloud and her kits dead, and they both are at the point where they just want to wipe ThunderClan out completely for interfering with their business."

"What business have we interfered with?" Bramblestar hissed. "All we did was take in a poor, defenseless queen and her kits."

"Exactly," the black tom snorted. "As I said, they have completely lost their minds. Harestar and Crowfeather both want revenge, and they're willing to slaughter all of ThunderClan to get it."

Nightcloud stiffened, recoiling at her son's words. "They can't do that!" she gasped.

Bramblestar nodded seriously, his amber eyes dark with fury. "Why have you come to tell us this, Breezepelt? Surely Harestar and your father wouldn't want you aiding their enemy."

"I've already been banished," Breezepelt meowed harshly. "I told them I would fight against the Clan that saved my mother's life. I have no quarrel with ThunderClan. You saved my mother when my father tried to kill her. I refuse to support my leader when he doesn't lead with wisdom and compassion and I have no reason to support my father."

The black queen touched her nose to her son's pelt. "You're so brave, Breezepelt," she murmured.

A loud voice rang out from the clearing. "How can we trust him?" Berrynose spat. "He fought on the side of the Dark Forest! He's a traitor!"

Breezepelt met the cream-colored tom's eyes with confidence. "Yes, I fought for the Dark Forest. What else could I have done when my Clan has never liked me? I never felt wanted by WindClan. Nightcloud has always been the only one to care about me. The Dark Forest gave me the support and confidence that WindClan would not, but that is in the past. Onestar allowed me to stay in WindClan and I tried my hardest to prove I no longer supported the Dark Forest. That part of my life is over. Now all I want is to protect the one living cat who's ever given me love. How can I hurt my own mother when she's been my only source of support? I will stand beside any Clan that vows to protect her."

"But you're a traitor!" Berrynose hissed, lashing his tail. "Once a traitor, always a traitor!"

"Enough!" Bramblestar ordered, glaring at his warrior. "Breezepelt is not here to fight us, but with us. Would you not fight to protect Daisy, Berrynose?"

The cream-colored tom looked away, not answering his leader.

Nightcloud glanced at the brown tabby. "What are you going to do?" she asked. "Are you going to send Breezepelt away?"

The black tom opened his mouth, wanting to say something before Bramblestar replied. "Harestar said I had a choice. I could either fetch Nightcloud and the kits and take them to WindClan, or they would attack at dawn tomorrow and kill as many ThunderClan cats as possible. If I found on WindClan territory without my mother, they'll kill me on the spot."

"Have you come to take them," the dark tabby asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Never," Breezepelt growled, shaking his head. "I came because I figured you could use an extra set of paws in the fight.

Bramblestar flicked his tail back and forth, thinking over the tom's words. "I will discuss this with my senior warriors," he finally meowed. Turning away from Breezepelt and Nightcloud, the leader padded to the base of the High Ledge, where Squirrelflight, Brackenfur, Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Thornclaw were gathering.

Nightcloud gave her son a nervous look. "Do you really think Harestar and Crowfeather would kill us?" she asked. "Surely Crowfeather wouldn't be so cruel as to kill his own son!"

"He tried to kill you," Breezepelt reminded the black she-cat. "Besides, I think we both know the only sons he cares about are already living in ThunderClan."

Excited squeals erupted from the nursery, interrupting the two cats' conversation. Two solid black kits and a tabby kit pelted over to Nightcloud and Breezepelt, curiosity glowing in their eyes.

"Are you really Breezepelt?" Eaglekit asked.

"Are you really our brother?" Swallowkit demanded.

The tom blinked in surprise, gazing over the three kits. Nodding slowly, he replied, "Yes, I'm Breezepelt, you're older brother."

"And you came to fight for Mother?" Streamkit squeaked, bouncing on her little paws.

Breezepelt nodded. "If Bramblestar will let me."

Eaglekit dropped into a crouch, raising his haunches. "I'd fight too if I were big enough!" he declared, wavy his short black tail.

"No one hurts our mother!" Swallowkit meowed. "Those dumb WindClan cats should just leave us alone!"

"We don't even want to live in stinky WindClan!" the tabby kit grumbled, launching herself at Eaglekit and bowling him over.

Nightcloud watched her kits with pride as they tumbled around on the cold grass. "You three are turning into fine warriors," she mewed.

Breezepelt turned to his mother. "You used to tell me that as a kit," he sighed wistfully.

"You did turn out to be a fine warrior," the queen insisted.

"I fought for the Dark Forest," the tom argued. "I'm a failure. Crowfeather was always right about me. Hopefully you'll have more luck with these kits."

The she-cat narrowed her eyes. "Don't you ever say that you're a failure!" she spat. "Crowfeather was wrong about you. He always was. You've changed. You are not the same cat you were at the Great Battle."

A dark tabby strolled over to the two black cats, careful not to get in the way of the kits' mock fight. "It seems my senior warriors have some reservations about allowing you to stay," Bramblestar meowed to the WindClan tom.

"I promise I'm not here to hurt any of you," Breezepelt insisted. "I don't want to see WindClan kill anyone who's done nothing but protect a queen and her kits. I am not fighting for the Dark Forest- I'm fighting for you!"

"I understand," Bramblestar meowed, nodding. "Very well, Breezepelt. If WindClan wants to slaughter us all, then ThunderClan would be glad to have an extra warrior. I will allow you to stay for the battle. Harestar wants a war, and we'll give him one he won't forget."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Watery sunlight streamed into the nursery, waking Nightcloud from a deep sleep. Lifting her face to the pale light, she blinked her eyes slowly as she adjusted to the brightness. Poppyfrost and Cherryfall were already stirring in their nests, careful not to wake their kits. The two queens looked anxious, the fur on their back standing on end.

"When do you think WindClan will attack?" Cherryfall finally mewed, breaking the silence.

"Breezepelt said WindClan would come at dawn," Nightcloud sighed, shaking her head with defeat. "Maybe I should just go back and spare you all."

Poppyfrost shook her head angrily. "Stop saying that!" she growled. "You're too hard on yourself. ThunderClan is glad to fight to keep you and your kits safe."

The ginger queen nodded in agreement. "It is WindClan who is wrong," she meowed, "not you. Don't blame yourself for this."

A tiny voice rose from the tortoiseshell queen's nest. "Mama, can we help fight?" Rowankit squeaked. "Bluekit and I are almost six moons old!"

"Yeah!" Bluekit echoed, giving her mother a pleading look. "Let us help! We don't want the little kits to get hurt!"

Poppyfrost shook her head decisively. "And I don't want you getting hurt."

"We want to fight too!" Hazelkit cried, glaring at Cherryfall. "Nightcloud's kits are little! Smokekit and I can help protect them!"

The ginger queen stared at her daughter in horror. "Of course you can't fight!" Cherryfall meowed, pulling the kit close. "You're not nearly old enough to be an apprentice!"

Smokekit stood up and pressed his face into his mother's. "We're nearly four moons old!" he hissed. "We can fight! Runningpaw and Sunpaw have been showing us battle moves!"

Nightcloud watched the two other queens argue with their kits. Staring down at her own, which thankfully were still sleeping, she felt a pang of sadness. Why couldn't her kits just have a happy kithood without being the center of a war?

Suddenly and idea came to the black she-cat. Turning to the four older kits, she meowed, "Your mothers are right, you are too young to be in the thick of battle, but you can still help."

Bluekit scrambled out of her nest to stand in front of Nightcloud, fluffing out her tortoiseshell fur to appear bigger. "What can we do to help?" she asked.

"You want to keep my kits safe, right?" the queen meowed. "They are still very little, and are bound to be very afraid during the fight. They need someone to stay with them and make them feel safe. They also need someone to fight in case a WindClan cat breaks into the nursery. Do you think you could keep my kits safe?"

The queen knew that she, Poppyfrost, and Cherryfall would be guarding the nursery and no WindClan warrior would be able to break in, but asking the older kits to help would make them feel important. Surely this would be a good compromise.

Bluekit's eyes lit up at Nightcloud's words. "Oh, yes! Rowankit and I can fight any old WindClan warrior! We won't let anyone hurt your kits!"

"And we can make sure they aren't scared!" Smokekit added. "They'll need big strong kits like us to tell them everything's going to be alright."

"Good," Nightcloud meowed, pleased that the older kits were okay with her suggestion. "I feel a lot better knowing my kits are in such good paws."

* * *

The sun was still rising slowly in the sky, leaving the trees above camp to cast large shadows on the grassy ground. Nightcloud, Poppyfrost, and Cherryfall sat outside the nursery, prepared to fight as soon as WindClan arrived. Most of the warriors were sitting in the center of camp, watching the entrance with narrowed eyes. The cats were quiet, subdued by knowing this could be their last day if the battle turned deadly. Even the apprentices were quiet, sitting next to their mentors as they waited.

The deputy, Brackenfur, had taken a patrol of warriors to look out for the WindClan cats. The patrol had not yet returned, and Nightcloud could tell by looking at Bramblestar's solemn face that the leader was growing worried.

The ThunderClan cats stayed in their positions for what seemed like ages before movement at the camp's entrance caught their attention. The golden-furred deputy raced into the camp, his sides heaving as he fought for breath. Lionblaze, Thornclaw, and Blossomfall stood behind him, their pelts fluffed up with anticipation.

"WindClan is approaching!" Brackenfur meowed as he caught his breath. "We saw them just as they were crossing the stream. They should be here in just a few moments."

"And it looks like they've brought every cat in their camp," Thornclaw added, lashing his tail angrily. "Harestar is definitely bringing a fighting force."

Bramblestar unsheathed his claws, sinking them into the hard, cold ground. "We have a fighting force as well. Thanks to Breezepelt, we are prepared for this fight."

The black queen glanced over at her son, who was sitting between Cloudtail and Mousewhisker, his eyes dark with determination. Seeing her son among ThunderClan ranks sent a wave of pride through Nightcloud, glad to see that the tom had turned his back on the dysfunctional WindClan.

A yowl sounded loudly from outside the camp. A large brown-and-white tom shouldered his way confidently into the camp, his warriors fanning out behind him. The tom gazed at Bramblestar with calm, cold amber eyes. "So, we meet again for another battle," he meowed, his eyes giving away nothing.

"We do not have to fight, Harestar," the dark brown tabby leader growled quietly. "Why would you want to risk losing your warriors?"

Harestar narrowed his eyes. "You are correct in saying that we don't have to fight. Just give us Nightcloud and the kits and we will leave immediately."

"We will do no such thing," Bramblestar meowed. "The kits are safe and happy here. It would be wrong to send them away."

"Then we fight," the WindClan leader hissed, raising his tail and waving it toward the tabby tom. Instantly, his warriors sprang forward, ready to meet ThunderClan in battle.

Nightcloud crouched low in front of the nursery, ready to defend the kits inside. Poppyfrost and Cherryfall stood beside her, eyeing the WindClan warriors with dark glares.

A very pale gray-and-white tom and a ginger tom pelted over to face the queens, launching themselves at the she-cats. Poppyfrost dodged the ginger tom, sending him crashing to the ground. Nightcloud and Cherryfall collided with the gray tom, raking his sides with sharp claws. The ginger queen leaped onto the warrior's back, digging her claws into his fur while Nightcloud nipped the tom's foreleg.

The WindClan cat twisted underneath Cherryfall's weight, causing her to lose her balance and roll off onto the ground. The tom whirled around to stand over her, raising a paw to strike. Nightcloud sprang at him, bowling him over on his side. She placed her two front paws on his pelt, pushing him hard into the ground.

"This will teach you not to harm our kits, Gorsetail," she hissed, letting her claws puncture his flesh.

Gorsetail glared at the queen with cold amber eyes. "It's your fault this battle is even happening!" he spat, shoving Nightcloud away as he heaved himself up to a standing position. He lunged forward, colliding with the she-cat's chest and causing her to stumble backward. Nightcloud was quick, though, and raked her claws across the gray-and-white tom's face, spraying blood into the air.

The tom shook his head furiously, shaking the blood out of his eyes. "You're a waste of my time, crowfood!" he spat, turning away to face the center of camp, where the rest of the battle was taking place. He pelted off to help Leaftail fight Cloudtail, leaving Nightcloud alone in front of the nursery. Poppyfrost and Cherryfall had chased off the gray warrior, but were now nowhere to be seen.

A flash of dark gray fur caught Nightcloud's eyes just before a heavy weight crashed into her, knocking the queen over. Staring up at the tom, she immediately recognized the face staring back at her.

"Hootpaw!" she cried. "You're fighting against me, too?"

"It's Hootwing now!" the gray warrior spat, pressing his paws into Nightcloud's shoulders. "I was finally made a warrior, no thanks to you!"

Nightcloud widened her eyes. "What's happened to you?" she gasped. "You used to be sweet and kind!"

Hootwing snorted, narrowing his eyes. "You abandoned me! You could have made me a warrior, but you ran away! I trusted you. I knew you could have made me a warrior, but you left!"

"Crowfeather tried to murder me!" the queen cried. "I had no choice but to leave! Besides, Onestar had already made Emberfoot your mentor instead."

"But you didn't fight for me!" the warrior spat. "You didn't fight to keep me as your apprentice!"

Nightcloud, pressed to the ground with Hootwing in her face, couldn't see what was going on around her. She could only hear the furious screeches of fighting cats. The queen was so focused on her former apprentice that she nearly forgot why the battle was being fought until she heard Breezepelt's panicked screech close by.

"No! Eaglekit!"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Nightcloud thrust Hootwing away from her and leaped to her paws. Facing the nursery, she saw Breezepelt staring at Crowfeather with a horrified expression on his face. At Crowfeather's paws was a tiny black bundle lying ominously still.

The queen pelted over to the kit, shoving Crowfeather out of her way. Eaglekit's eyes were closed and blood was pouring out from a wound on his stomach. Nosing the kit frantically, Nightcloud realized her son wasn't breathing.

"Jayfeather!" she screeched. "Leafpool! Help me, please!"

"You killed him!" Breezepelt snarled, glaring at his father furiously while his mother desperately tried to revive Eaglekit. "You killed my brother!"

Crowfeather narrowed his cold blue eyes. "I'll kill all of Nightcloud's kits!" he hissed. "She left me for Onestar. The worthless piece of crowfood deserves to have everything she loves torn away from her."

"I'm her kit," the younger tom reminded his father. "Would you kill me, too? Your own son?"

Nightcloud glanced up at the toms from her pace next to Eaglekit, horror brimming in her wide green eyes. "Crowfeather, please! Don't hurt him!"

The dark gray tom shook his head. "You think I care, Nightcloud? You think I care about any of you?" He paused, glancing between his former mate and son. "I never cared about either of you!"

"You monster!" Breezepelt screeched, leaping at his father. The WindClan deputy rolled on to his side, slashing his son's pelt with outstretched claws. The younger warrior grabbed Crowfeather's leg with his teeth, tugging forcefully. The dark gray tom jerked his leg away from his son, jumping to his paws and raking his claws across Breezepelt's face. The warrior, temporarily blinded, shook his head furiously to clear the blood. Crowfeather took this opportunity to leap onto the tom's back, digging his teeth and claws into Breezepelt's flesh.

Nightcloud watched the fight in horror, watching her former mate tear their son to pieces. At long last, she finally stood up and flung herself at Crowfeather, trying to knock him off of their son. The dark gray tom rolled off of the warrior, twisting his paws underneath Breezepelt, causing the tom to lose his balance and fall. Crowfeather shoved Nightcloud away quickly, glaring at her with fierce blue eyes before pummeling the black tom with his paws.

The queen launched herself at the deputy again, trying to save her son, but Crowfeather met her attack with a strike to her chest, causing her to fall back.

"Mother, stop!" Breezepelt cried from underneath Crowfeather, twisting his head to look at the black she-cat. "Don't waste your energy trying to save me. You have other kits to tend to!"

"But I can't let you die!" she wailed, painfully aware that the light in her son's eyes was dimming.

The tom shook his head sadly. "Maybe," he coughed, "it's for the best. I've done bad things. This must be my punishment."

Nightcloud couldn't bear to hear her son come to terms with his death. Looking Crowfeather in his eyes, she pleaded, "Please stop this! He's your son!"

The deputy did not reply, continuing to rake Breezepelt's stomach with his claws.

"Maybe StarClan will forgive me," the younger warrior whispered, his voice cracking. "I'll take care of Eaglekit for you."

The queen froze as she watched her son's eyes close. His body grew still on the frozen leaf-bare ground, blood pooling underneath him.

"You killed him!" Nightcloud screeched, turning on Crowfeather. "You killed your own son!"

"And I've killed two of your sons!" the dark gray tom hissed. "Now I'll kill your daughters!"

The queen darted around him, blocking the entrance of the nursery. "Don't you dare!" she cried. "Haven't you taken enough from me?"

Harestar's voice cut through the crowd of cats, not giving time for Crowfeather to respond. "WindClan, retreat!"

Crowfeather whirled around to face his leader, and Nightcloud heaved a sigh of relief, only to be filled with dread once more as she saw the lifeless bodies of cats strewn across the ThunderClan camp. Harestar's apprentice, Slightpaw, lie on the ground with his legs splayed out, his eyes still open and burning with fury. The young tom had died fighting. Weaselfur, Crouchfoot, Larkwing, and Oatpaw also laid dead on the ground.

"What happened?" Crowfeather hissed, racing to his leader's side.

The brown-and-white tom cast a furious glare at ThunderClan's leader, who stood over Weaselfur's lifeless body. "We lost."

"Neither Clan won this battle," Bramblestar growled. "It was a loss for both of us."

"But we did not succeed in getting Nightcloud and her kits," Harestar snarled. "That makes it a WindClan loss."

Crowfeather raised his head proudly. "But I did take the lives to two of her kits. Both Eaglekit and Breezepelt are dead."

Bramblestar and Harestar both widened their eyes, staring past the WindClan deputy at Nightcloud, who was still standing over Breezepelt's lifeless body.

"Well then, this hasn't been a total loss," the WindClan leader mused. "Fine then, we will leave. We shall continue this battle another day."

"You'll leave and never come back," Bramblestar hissed.

Harestar shook his head. "Oh, no. This battle will not be over until Nightcloud and all of her kits are dead." He whirled around and stalked out of the camp, his remaining warriors following behind.

Nightcloud crouched beside her two dead sons, letting out a mournful wail as she buried her nose into Eaglekit's tiny pelt. Allowing herself to be overtaken by grief, she barely felt another pelt brush hers.

"Oh, Nightcloud, I am so sorry," Leafpool mewed, pressing her nose comfortingly to the queen's ear. "I can't imagine how you must feel."

"He killed them," the black she-cat whispered, staring at her sons. "Crowfeather killed them."

The tabby medicine cat nodded slowly. "He has changed so much," she sighed. "He is not the cat I once loved."

"He hasn't been in a long time," Nightcloud replied, feeling hollow and empty. "Who else did we lose?"

Leafpool closed her amber eyes, hesitating before she answered. "Cloudtail's gone. Brackenfur's gone. So are Dewfall, Spiderleg, Whitewing, Amberleaf, Fernpaw, and Runningpaw."

Nightcloud raised her head sharply, turning around to face her Clanmates. Bramblestar was standing by Lionblaze and Cinderheart, no doubt trying to comfort them. Squirrelflight was crouched next to a small bundle of dark tabby fur, her face buried in the apprentice's side.

"Both Clans lost so many," the queen meowed, shaking her head sadly.

"And it's not over," Leafpool sighed. "Harestar made it clear he will be back."

Bramblestar finally tore himself away from Lionblaze and Cinderheart's and leaped onto the High Ledge, his amber eyes dark with grief. "Cats of ThunderClan, we have faced a great tragedy today. Not since the Great Battle have we lost so many cats at once. We have all lost someone we loved today." He cast a sympathetic glance at Nightcloud. "Some have lost more than they deserved."

The queen dipped her head to the leader. "I am so sorry, Bramblestar," she murmured.

"Don't be," the dark tabby meowed. "This battle was not your fault." He closed his eyes for a long moment, taking a deep breath before speaking. "We have lost our deputy today. I know we will all mourn Brackenfur for moons to come, but we must press forth. ThunderClan must have a new deputy." He glanced down at his mate, who was still crouched next to their son. "Squirrelflight, do you want to be deputy again?"

The ginger she-cat raised her head slowly, staring at her leader with hollow eyes. "How can I protect my Clan when I can't even protect my kit?" she mewed hoarsely. "I need time to grieve. I don't think I can serve ThunderClan at my best right now."

Bramblestar nodded. "I understand. In that case, I say these words before StarClan, so they may hear and approve of my new choice…Ivypool will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Nightcloud glanced over at the silver-and-white tabby who stared up at her leader in shock. "Me? Why?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"You are sensible and noble, with ThunderClan's best interests at heart," the dark tabby replied. "I am sure you will prove to be a worthy deputy."

Ivypool dipped her head respectfully. "Then I will accept. I promise to do my best and serve ThunderClan well."

Bramblestar nodded. "Then let us take this time to mourn our dead. The battle is not over yet, but now that we have experienced great loss, we must be able to fight even harder next time. Harestar will not get away with this any longer!"

* * *

Update Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader: Bramblestar- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Ivypool- silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Medicine Cats: Jayfeather- gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

Leafpool- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Warriors:

Squirrelflight- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Birchfall- light brown tabby tom

Berrynose- cream-colored tom

Apprentice: Sorrelpaw

Mousewhisker- gray-and-white tom

Apprentice: Sunpaw

Cinderheart- gray tabby she-cat

Lionblaze- golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Rosepetal- dark cream she-cat

Apprentice: Hollypaw

Blossomfall- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Bumblestripe- very pale gray tom with black stripes

Dovewing- pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Molewhisker- brown-and-cream tom

Lilyheart- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Apprentice: Tawnypaw

Snowtail- white, fluffy tom

Queens:

Poppyfrost- tortoiseshell she-cat (mother of Berrynose's kits: Rowankit (tom) and Bluekit (she-cat))

Cherryfall- ginger she-cat (mother of Mousewhisker's kits: Smokekit (tom) and Hazelkit (she-cat))

Nightcloud- black she-cat (mother of Onestar's kits: Swallowkit and Streamkit (she-cats))

Apprentices:

Sorrelpaw- golden tabby she-cat

Hollypaw- gray tabby she-cat

Tawnypaw- dark brown tabby she-cat

Sunpaw- dark ginger tom

Elders:

Graystripe- long-haired gray tom

Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Brightheart- white she-cat with ginger patches

Thornclaw- golden-brown tabby tom

WindClan

Leader: Harestar- brown-and-white tom

Deputy: Crowfeather- dark gray tom

Apprentice: Featherpaw

Medicine Cat: Kestrelflight- mottled gray tom

Warriors

Gorsetail- very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

Leaftail- dark tabby tom, amber eyes

Emberfoot- gray tom with two black paws

Furzepelt- gray-and-white she-cat

Hootwing- dark gray tom

Queens:

Sedgewhisker- light brown tabby she-cat

Apprentices:

Featherpaw- gray tabby she-cat

Elders:

Whiskernose- light brown tom


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Nightcloud wrapped her tail protectively around Swallowkit and Streamkit, watching Bramblestar pace madly around camp as his warriors arranged their fallen Clanmates in the center of camp.

"Harestar has gone too far this time!" the dark tabby warrior spat, lashing his tail furiously. "He took my son, my deputy, my warriors! This fight cannot go on any longer!"

The black queen tore her gaze from Bramblestar to the two bundles of black fur on the ground, her sons' eyes closed and their fur smoothed to look like they were sleeping. _How much more can WindClan take from us?_

Her tabby kit stared up at her, her tiny amber eyes wide with horror. "Is Crowfeather going to kill us too, Mama?" Streamkit asked, her voice shaking with fright.

"Crowfeather!" Bramblestar snarled, rounding on the kits and their mother. "If I see that tom again I swear I'll shred him myself! Any cat who is willing to kill their own child does not deserve to live!"

Nightcloud sighed, agreeing with her leader. She knew Crowfeather was no good, but the queen had never expected him to kill Breezepelt. "What are we going to do?" she asked Bramblestar, shifting her paws nervously.

The dark tabby opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a silver-and-white cat who overheard the question.

"At the moment, nothing," Ivypool meowed, casting a glance at Bramblestar's pelt, which was laced with bloody, untreated scratches. "We're in no condition to fight."

"But we must do something!" Bramblestar argued. "ThunderClan cannot just sit and wait to be attacked again. WindClan has started two fights against us in our camp! A kit died this time. I won't allow Harestar or Crowfeather that advantage again. I do not wish to see any more kits die."

The leader's voice trailed off as he finished his words. The tom turned to face the center of camp, where Squirrelflight, Sunpaw, and Tawnypaw were crouched beside Runningpaw. "I do not wish to see any more of my kits die."

"I don't like Crowfeather!" Swallowkit cried, burying her face into Nightcloud's fur. "He's scary!"

The queen felt as if her heart would break, hearing her daughter's terrified wail. Nuzzling the kit gently, she whispered, "I don't like him, either."

"That settles it!" Bramblestar hissed. "I will not have any more battles in my camp. We will fight again, but this time the battle will be fought away from the nursery."

Ivypool closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly. "We need time to heal, Bramblestar. You need time to grieve."

The leader shook his head angrily. "I am tired of this!" he spat. "I will grieve when WindClan is stopped! I cannot take time to grieve when my Clan is still in danger. I will not rest until every cat in ThunderClan is safe from that…that hare-brain!"

"What will you do?" Nightcloud asked warily.

Bramblestar exchanged a glance with his new deputy. "I will wait until our wounds have healed, but that is it. We will attack WindClan as soon as we are strong enough."

"But then we are endangering their kits!" Ivypool hissed. "You know Sedgewhisker kitted only two months ago. Do you want an innocent queen who hasn't been involved in the battles to lose kits?"

The dark tabby tom hesitated, flashing a glance at Nightcloud. Sighing, he shook his head. "No, I don't want to endanger any cat who hasn't been involved. I have no quarrel with Sedgewhisker or WindClan's elders."

"You're a good leader, Bramblestar," Ivypool murmured. "I know you wouldn't want innocent cats to die."

"I shall speak with my senior warriors," the tom decided. "Perhaps they will have a good idea about how to go about finishing this."

* * *

Nightcloud padded into the camp slowly, hanging her head low as she trudged through the entrance. Her paws were sore from digging graves for her sons, and specks on dirt itched between her toes. The ground was frozen hard, and the graves had been difficult to dig. The first flakes of snow were beginning to fall gently on the forest floor, officially signaling the beginning of leaf-bare. The queen, now exhausted and cold, wanted nothing more than to curl up in her den with her surviving kits.

As she entered the camp, the queen saw Bramblestar perched on the High Ledge. The tom's eyes were dark as he watched the patrol come back from their burial.

"He must be going to announce a meeting," Snowtail mewed, his voice coarse from grief at having buried his father and siblings. "I hope he's decided to tear WindClan to shreds."

Lilyheart shook her head, disagreeing with the white warrior. "I don't want to fight anymore," she sighed. "I just want peace to return to ThunderClan."

"We're going to have to fight," Lionblaze hissed, stopping beside Nightcloud. "Harestar's taken too much from us to stand down now."

The black queen padded over to the nursery, knowing her kits were safe and sleeping inside, but wanting to sit close by. Cherryfall sat down next to her, the ginger queen's eyes narrowed as she stared up at the High Ledge.

Bramblestar waited until the patrol reached the center of the camp before speaking. "Cats of ThunderClan, we have suffered a great tragedy today," he growled. "Today WindClan was not just fighting to take back a queen and her kits- they were fighting to kill. Harestar has decided to wipe us out completely, and it was clear that he instructed his warriors to murder. A warrior does not need to kill to win a battle, but we were forced to kill just to keep ourselves safe. I myself was forced to kill Weaselfur when he and Furzepelt attacked my daughter. They would have torn her apart if I hadn't stepped in. This is not how a warrior acts! WindClan must be stopped before they continue to act outside the warrior code!"

"But what can we do?" Bumblestripe called. "How can we stop them without killing?"

The ThunderClan leader shifted his paws, staring at the gray warrior. "I am not about to let innocent cats die, nor do I want anyone who did not make the decision to fight to die. We have two targets- Harestar and Crowfeather. If we can cause Harestar to lose a life or two in battle and injure Crowfeather badly enough to send him to Kestrelflight's den for a while, I think our point will be made."

"But we'd be attacking them in their camp!" Molewhisker cried. "Surely WindClan would be fighting us to the death then!"

"I want us to try and fight with as few casualties as possible," Bramblestar meowed. "I don't want any more deaths than there have to be. Try not to kill any of them unless it is absolutely self-defense."

A tortoiseshell spoke up, staring at her cream-colored mate with worry glowing in her eyes. "When will this attack take place?" Poppyfrost asked. "I don't want Berrynose involved in a fight until he's healed!"

The leader nodded seriously. "We will wait until we are strong enough to fight, and then I will only take the strongest warriors we have. Those who were seriously injured today will not be asked to participate in the next battle."

"Oh, I'm fighting," Berrynose hissed. "A few scratches won't stop me from giving WindClan a piece of my mind!"

"Then it's settled," Bramblestar mewed decisively. "We will finally end this feud. ThunderClan will not be pushed around by WindClan any longer!"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Nightcloud was curled up in her nest, her fluffy black tail draped over her nose. Her living kits slept beside her in a mound of black and tabby fur, emitting quiet squeaks as they dreampt. The night was peaceful, a gentle snow falling on the forest floor. The ground was turning silver overnight, and by morning the grass would be blanketed with the thick white snow.

The queen was still sound asleep when the sun began to rise. Her kits, however, awakened as soon as pale light began streaming into the nursery. Nightcloud's slumber was soon interrupted by excited squeals of kits.

"Mama!" Swallowkit shrieked, pummeling the queen with her paws. "There's something wrong with the ground!"

"It's all white!" Streamkit echoed. "What is that stuff?"

Nightcloud opened her eyes, groggily eyeing the kits. "What are you talking about?" she asked, stretching slowly.

"Come and see the white stuff!" her tabby daughter ordered, bouncing out of the nest and poking her head out into the crisp morning air.

The queen stood slowly, realizing she was now the only cat in the nursery. Cherryfall, Poppyfrost, and their kits must have already ventured out into the camp to investigate the new-found substance that covered the earth. She pushed out of the nursery, seeing Rowankit and Bluekit chasing Cherryfall's younger kits around the camp, spraying snow everywhere as they ran.

"It's so cold!" Swallowkit mewed, poking the snow timidly with a slender paw. "What is it, Mama?"

"It's snow," Nightcloud replied, ducking as the older kits ran past. A flurry of snowflakes hit her face as Smokekit stopped to kick the snow wildly. "It comes every leaf-bare."

Smokekit shook his fluffy gray-and-white pelt, eyeing the youngest kits. "It's fun to play in!" he announced. "Come and join us!"

Streamkit glanced at her mother, excitement shining in her amber eyes. "Oh, Mama, can we?" she asked.

"Please?" Swallowkit begged, widening her green eyes.

"Alright," Nightcloud agreed, "but not for long. Come back to the nursery as soon as you get cold."

The kits nodded quickly before dashing off to join their friends, joyously spinning around in the freezing snow.

A tortoiseshell she-cat padded over to the queen. "They'll tire of it soon enough," she commented, sitting down on the snowy ground. "Snow is nice up until your realize just how cold it is."

Nightcloud nodded, agreeing with Poppyfrost. "It's nice to see them play, though. For once they don't have to worry about WindClan taking them away."

The other queen flashed Nightcloud a sympathetic glance. "How are you getting along?"

"Well enough," the black she-cat admitted. "The kits still ask where Eaglekit is and when he's coming back. They don't seem to understand that he's gone."

Poppyfrost rested her spotted tail on the queen's back. "It's hard losing a kit. It's even harder when you have other kits who don't understand. I remember when my brother died. I was an apprentice then, but it was my first experience with death. Brackenfur and Sorreltail had a difficult time explaining to my sisters and me why Molepaw wasn't coming back."

"It isn't fair," Nightcloud sighed, flopping down on the snowy ground. "I lost both of my sons on the same day."

"No one deserves that," Poppyfrost agreed. "I cannot imagine the pain you must be in."

The black queen shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it. "I still have my daughters, and that's all that matters."

* * *

"So what's the plan, Bramblestar?" Molewhisker called, staring up at the dark tabby sitting on the High Ledge.

Nightcloud sat in the center of camp, in between Cherryfall and Poppyfrost, waiting for the Clan meeting to begin. Her kits, safely sleeping in the nursery, had finally tired of the snow and were tucked away in the warmth of their den. The she-cat could take a short break from parenting to join her Clanmates under the High Ledge.

Bramblestar sat up on the smooth gray stone, shifting his weight from side to side as if he couldn't quite get comfortable. A slimy green paste was stuck to his side over his battle wounds, and a red scar sliced across his nose, not healing well. Ivypool sat next to her leader, almost propping him up with her weight. Her blue eyes were dark and serious as she stared down at the cats gathered below.

"We have decided what to do with WindClan," the silver-and-white deputy announced.

"Yes," Bramblestar meowed stiffly. "I, unfortunately, have not been cleared by our medicine cats to take part in a battle any time soon, but that does not mean we will sit and wait for WindClan to attack us again. They know we are weak and will use that to our advantage if we wait."

A light tabby she-cat snorted, staring up at her leader. "Think wisely, Bramblestar," Leafpool growled. "You are not taking part in a battle until those scratches are healed!"

The leader narrowed his eyes. "I wouldn't dream of it, o great medicine cat," he meowed, a slight edge in his voice. "Ivypool will lead the attack, and she will take only the strongest cats with her."

Another voice rang out from the crowd, and Nightcloud had to stretch to see the speaker. "Bramblestar," a ginger-and-white she-cat croaked, "it has been only four days since the battle. I lost my mate and my children. Are you sure you want to risk more lives in another battle?"

Bramblestar dipped his head respectfully to the she-cat, sympathy showing in his amber eyes. "I am sorry for your loss, Brightheart. No one lost more in that battle than you or Snowtail. But we cannot just sit and wait. Would you want WindClan to attack us again? Would you want to see your only surviving kit die as well?"

Brightheart narrowed her eyes. "I do not wish to see any more death," she growled. "I have seen more than my fair share."

"And you have deserved your place in the elders' den," her leader meowed. "You deserve many moons of peace before StarClan calls you. Let us give you they peace you deserve."

"You won't get that peace until WindClan is stopped, Mother," a fluffy white tom hissed. Snowtail lashed his tail furiously, glaring at some invisible enemy. "I say we fight! I will avenge the deaths of my father and littermates!"

The dark tabby tom exchanged glances with his deputy. "I have decided the battle will take place in three sunrises. Actually, it will take place before the sun rises on the third day. I wish to take WindClan completely by surprise and attack them when they least expect it."

"This way they will not be prepared and will still be groggy from sleep," Ivypool added. "This will give them a seriously disadvantage. I believe this gives us the best chance of victory."

Nightcloud nodded thoughtfully, agreeing with the new deputy. She was young, but sensible and practical. The silver-and-white tabby understood that a warrior does not have to kill to win, and had chosen a way to fight that might prevent needless deaths. If WindClan is still half-asleep, they won't be fighting to slaughter. Bramblestar had made a good choice selecting her as deputy.

"Ivypool and I have thought long and hard about who should take part in the fight," Bramblestar continued. "We decided those who lost the most in the last battle will fight the hardest, fighting for the loved ones they lost. We decided that Squirrelflight, Lionblaze, Cinderheart, Snowtail, Dovewing, and Nightcloud will fight. In addition, Berrynose, Mousewhisker, Bumblestripe, Molewhisker, and Lilyheart, Sorrelpaw, and Hollypaw will take part in the attack."

Nightcloud's eyes widened when she heard her name called. Her first instinct was to refuse, not wanting to leave her daughters and risk dying, but then she saw the sense in her leader's choice. She had been driven out of WindClan by their former leader, their current leader had led the battle where her sons had died, and her former mate had been the one to kill them. This was her battle. This was her fight- and she was fighting for everything she loved. She would fight to protect the Clan had taken her in when she had no one and she would fight to protect her kits from the Clan that wished to see them dead. When the day of the battle came, she would be proud to stand beside ThunderClan and bring WindClan to justice. Soon this bitter feud would be over.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Nightcloud's paws tensed as she stood on the edge of the moor, staring out into WindClan's vast territory. The sky was dark and starless, thick clouds covering the early morning sky. If the sun was starting to rise, the clouds were too dark to tell. A cold wind pulled at the queen's black fur, tugging it awkwardly. Snow was blowing down from the sky at a diagonal angle, sweeping into the she-cat's eyes. The weather would prove to make interesting conditions for a battle.

"Are we all ready?" Ivypool meowed in a hushed voice, standing at the front of the patrol. "Remember, we want to take them by surprise, so stay as quiet as possible."

"Won't they scent us?" Hollypaw asked nervously, her thick gray fur fluffed up against the cold.

The deputy shook her head. "The snow and wind should mask our scent fairly well. This should be an easy victory for us- WindClan is not expecting us to retaliate."

Mousewhisker shook his gray-and-white pelt roughly. "And we're only attacking warriors. Our targets are just Harestar and Crowfeather, so we should not invade Kestrelflight's den or the nursery," he added.

Ivypool gave the tom a sharp nod. "That's right. We don't want to hurt any kits or destroy their herb supply. Our goal is not to kill or ruin their camp." The silver-and-white tabby turned to face the moor, waving her tail forward. "Follow me!"

Nightcloud fell in beside Bumblestripe and Lilyheart, padding quickly and quietly over the freshly fallen snow. The warriors walked silently, not saying a word as they approached the camp. Even the rambunctious Sorrelpaw was keeping her mouth shut, padding between her parents with a serious glow in her amber eyes.

As the patrol reached the bracken barrier that formed the edges of WindClan's camp, Ivypool paused to glance back at her forces. Seeing her cats standing behind her, ready to fight for their Clan, she gave a brief nod of encouragement before charging into the camp. The she-cat tore through the entrance, spraying snow into the air as she yowled, "ThunderClan, attack!"

Sleepy WindClan cats poked their heads out of their dens after a moments' hesitation. Seeing there was an invasion, the lithe cats immediately woke up and leaped into battle to fight off their attackers. Nightcloud scanned the group of barely awake WindClan cats, searching for the two toms who had made her life miserable. Squirrelflight was locked in battle with Gorsetail, Lionblaze and Cinderheart were squaring off against Furzepelt and Weaselfur, and Hollypaw and Sorrelpaw had found the apprentices. The black queen couldn't see Harestar or Crowfeather in the thick of the fight, but she caught a glimpse of dark gray fur pushing out from under the limp twigs that made the warriors' den.

She pelted toward Hootwing, barreling into him with full force. The young warrior rolled over onto his side, staring up at his former mentor with surprise glowing in his eyes.

"Nightcloud?" he spat. "What are you doing here?"

"Making sure WindClan knows ThunderClan is not to be pushed around any longer!" she spat, digging her claws into his forelegs. "It's time you all left us alone!"

The tom twisted around wildly in the snow, causing Nightcloud to lose her grip. Hootwing leaped to his paws, glaring at the queen furiously. "It's your fault these battles even started in the first place!" he hissed. "If you had just told us Onestar was the father of your kits none of this would ever have happened!"

"Onestar was bent on making me his prisoner," Nightcloud retorted. "He didn't care for me, and he wouldn't have cared for our kits."

Hootwing shook his head, not believing the queen's words. Launching himself at his attacker, the tom crashed into her side with great force. Nightcloud stumbled, but managed to retain her balance, swinging around to rake her claws down his side. The she-cat reached out and bit his ear, tasting drops of blood ooze into her mouth. Hootwing let out a yowl and jerked his head back, tearing the ear. He raised a paw to slash Nightcloud's face, but she ducked down and dodged underneath him, rolling under his stomach and lashing out with her claws.

Suddenly the tom's weight disappeared. Hootwing moved away from her quickly and a set of dark blue eyes stared down at her, glowing in the chilly darkness.

"This is not your battle, Hootwing," the tom growled, placing a paw on Nightcloud's chest. He bent down to the queen's face, blowing hot breath into her eyes. "This is _my _fight."

"Crowfeather!" Nightcloud gasped.

The dark gray deputy unsheathed his claws, piercing through the queen's fur. "You brought ThunderClan to us this time?" he snarled.

"We want to end this, Crowfeather," she replied, staring up at him. "We're here to show you that WindClan cannot push us around anymore."

Snorting, the deputy shook his head. "The only thing that will stop these fights is you coming back to WindClan. Since that won't happen, I guess there is one other way to stop all this…"

Nightcloud lashed her tail, glaring at her former mate with cold green eyes. "What?" she spat. "What other way is there?"

Crowfeather pressed his nose to the she-cat's, narrowing his eyes ominously. "I could just kill you."

As the deputy said these words, the noise of the battle died away. Cats paused their fighting, staring at the deputy and Nightcloud with round eyes. Every WindClan and ThunderClan stopped to watch the two cat- the two that were the focus of the battle. Even Harestar stayed quiet, standing frozen beside Berrynose as he waited for Crowfeather to end the fight.

"You won't kill me, Crowfeather," Nightcloud growled. "You know deep down that you can't kill me."

"Who says I can't kill you?" the tom hissed. "I don't care about you at all. One strike to the throat is all it would take me to end you."

The queen allowed her muscles to relax, hoping to convince her former mate not to hurt her. "Please, Crowfeather," she mewed as gently as she could, "I still love you. Don't kill me. I promise I'll come back to WindClan and we can be together again- it'll be just you and me." Nightcloud hated lying to the tom, but she thought talking was a better idea than fighting him.

Crowfeather's eyes glinted in the darkness. "You'd really come back to WindClan?" he asked, surprise and disbelief ringing in his voice. "After all I've done?"

"I would," Nightcloud promised. "I'll come back and be your mate again. Everything can be exactly as it used to be."

The tom shifted his weight, clearly thinking about the she-cat's words. His hesitation gave the queen enough time to muster all of her strength and shove him off of her. Leaping to her paws, she gave Crowfeather a triumphant glare as he stumbled backwards.

"You liar!" he spat. "You dirty, rotten, piece of crowfood liar!" The tom sprang at the queen, crashing into her and slashing her fur with his claws. Nightcloud was ready, and quickly raked his chest as she whipped to the side. The she-cat grabbed his tail with her teeth, digging her teeth in as he yowled furiously. Rolling onto her back, Nightcloud battered his side and stomach with her hind paws as he struggled to retain his balance.

"Stop!" a brown-and-white tom yowled, bowling toward the fighting cats. Harestar, clearly unhappy to see Nightcloud winning, was coming to his deputy's aid.

The queen leaped to her paws and braced herself for the WindClan leader's attack. The tom barreled past her, crashing into a pile of snow as Nightcloud leaped to the side. Glaring at Harestar, she waited until he pulled himself up.

"Stay out of this!" she hissed, lashing her tail.

"This is between her and me!" Crowfeather added, staring his leader down.

Harestar glanced back and forth between the two cats. "But they attacked us!" he finally cried, jerking his head back to the rest of the ThunderClan cats. "They attacked us in our own camp!"

"And we attacked them first!" a voice called from the line of cats watching the brown-and-white leader. Nightcloud whipped around to see who spoke. What she saw was ThunderClan and WindClan, standing side by side, looking equally horrified by the scene playing out before them. A thin gray-and-white she-cat stood just a few paces ahead of the rest of the cats, glaring at her leader.

"WindClan has led three fights against ThunderClan," the she-cat continued, "and one of them was a Gathering for StarClan's sake! They would not have attacked us today if we had not provoked them!"

"Furzepelt!" Harestar cried furiously. "Get back in line!"

Furzepelt shook her head. "Do you think any of us want to fight?" she asked. "This whole problem is between Nightcloud, Onestar, and Crowfeather- and Onestar's dead. The rest of us had no part in what happened. We've only been fighting because the warrior code says that a leader's word is law. None of us want to fight. Do you think ThunderClan wants to fight?"

Nightcloud scanned the line of warriors standing behind the young WindClan cat. Squirrelflight, Ivypool, Berrynose, Lilyheart, Snowtail…all of them were shaking their heads. The WindClan cats were shaking their heads as well, clearly agreeing with Furzepelt.

Harestar stared at his warriors, realizing that he had lost his support. Dipping his head, he acknowledged his Clan's wishes. "Furzepelt is right," he meowed. "We have had enough. I will not ask my Clan to fight anymore."

Every cat visibly relaxed at the leader's words, glad to have all this fighting come to an end. Nightcloud heaved a sigh of relief, happy that no one had died in this battle. The Clans could come to peace without death.

"You think we're done here?" a voice growled from behind Nightcloud. Whirling around to face the speaker, she saw that Crowfeather was crouching low to the ground, casting a mutinous glance at Harestar. Before Nightcloud had a chance to move, the tom sprang at her. "The battle's not over until she is dead!"


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Crowfeather crashed forcefully into Nightcloud, bowling her over. The queen fell to her paws, rolling over the icy snow-covered ground. She raised a black paw to scratch the tom's face, but he quickly pressed his forepaws into her shoulders, preventing her from striking him or moving away to safety. The she-cat writhed helplessly in the deep snow, realizing she couldn't get away from her former mate. She tried kicking her back paws to throw him off balance, but it was no use. Crowfeather stood over her, glaring down at the queen with cold blue eyes.

"Ready to meet StarClan?" the tom sneered, digging his claws into Nightcloud's skin.

"Don't do this, Crowfeather," the she-cat replied weakly as she stared up at him. "You don't have to do this."

A strong, loud voice cut through the still air before the tom could respond. "Step away from her, Crowfeather."

The WindClan deputy tore his eyes away from his victim to glance up at the speaker, lashing his dark gray tail furiously. "Don't tell me what to do, Harestar. I want her dead!"

"If you kill her, I will appoint someone else as my deputy," the leader hissed. "Let her go."

"Please, Crowfeather," Nightcloud whimpered, beginning to feel weary from the fighting and chilled from laying on the frozen, snowing ground.. "I have kits. They've already lost their father. Don't let them lose their mother as well."

The deputy snorted, returning his gaze to the she-cat and thrusting his face into hers. "You think I care about those kits?" he snarled. "I don't care about them. They aren't mine. And I certainly don't care about you."

"Crowfeather, leave her alone!" Harestar spat, his voice rising in anger. "That's an order!"

"I don't care!" the deputy hissed back. "You're supposed to be on my side, Harestar."

A dark ginger she-cat padded up to stand beside the WindClan leader. "The battle is over, Crowfeather. Harestar has made his decision."

Crowfeather stood frozen over Nightcloud, not moving as he glared at the toms standing before him. "You can't tell me what to do, Squirrelflight. This she-cat has ruined my life!"

"No, you have ruined hers," the ThunderClan leader growled back.

"Squirrelflight is right," Harestar agreed. "I was wrong to continue Onestar's fight and I was wrong to appoint you as my deputy. You've done nothing but stir up more hatred between our Clans. I want the fighting to stop. If Nightcloud wants to live in ThunderClan, than that is her choice. I will not force her to return to a Clan where she'll live in fear of you."

Crowfeather turned his gaze away from his leader and Squirrelflight. Looking down at Nightcloud, he shook his head angrily. "Harestar can say whatever he wants, but no one is going to stop me from killing you."

"Please, Crowfeather, reconsider!" Nightcloud wailed, trying unsuccessfully to wiggle out of his grasp.

The tom snorted and lifted one paw from the queen's shoulder. His unsheathed claws shone brightly against the falling silver snow as he stood poised to strike the she-cat. As Crowfeather paused to send his victim one last hateful glare, Nightcloud knew this was the end. She couldn't fight anymore. She was too tired and too cold to save herself. Closing her eyes, she sent a silent prayer to StarClan, begging them to watch over her kits.

"No!" A yowl interrupted Crowfeather's killing blow. A flash of fur crashed into the tom, knocking him off of his paws. With the weight of the deputy gone, Nightcloud opened her eyes. She leaped to her paws just in time to see Harestar standing over the dark gray tom.

"I told you to let her go!" the WindClan leader howled at his deputy. "I gave you an order and you deliberately ignored it!"

Nightcloud backed away from the two toms slowly, stopping to stand beside Squirrelflight as she stared in horror at the Harestar and Crowfeather.

"Are you alright?" the ThunderClan she-cat meowed, worry glowing in her green eyes.

"I'm f-f-f-fine," the black queen mewed quietly, shivering against the icy leaf-bare air.

Harestar's furiously yowling died away as the leader stepped away from Crowfeather. The dark gray tom was lying ominously still on the silvery-white snow. A pool of red liquid was forming around him. The brown-and-white leader turned away from his deputy and padded up to Squirrelflight and Nightcloud.

"I made a mistake in appointing him as my deputy," he meowed, dipping his head. "He will not trouble you anymore, Nightcloud."

The she-cat stared passed him, her eyes fixed on the gray mound of fur. "Is he…is he dead?"

Harestar nodded. "He refused to obey his leader and was willing to kill innocent cats. He murdered his own son in cold blood. I only hope he cannot find his way to StarClan. He doesn't deserve to stand among the great cats of the past."

"Does this mean there will be no more fighting between our Clans?" Squirrelflight meowed, giving the tom a stern glare.

"WindClan has no quarrel with ThunderClan," Harestar meowed. "We never did. I am sorry for the trouble I have caused you."

The ginger she-cat dipped her head respectfully. "Then we will leave. I wish your Clan the best of luck."

"Thank you," the leader replied. He glanced at Nightcloud and sighed. "I am so sorry for being so hostile toward you these past few moons. I hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me."

"Of course," the black she-cat mewed, feeling relieved that the conflict between them was over.

Harestar nodded. "I wish you the best of luck in ThunderClan. I hope to see your kits at Gatherings in a few moons."

Squirrelflight brushed Nightcloud gently with her tail. "I'm sure you will. The kits are happy and healthy. But we should be leaving now. The battle is over and our Clans need time to heal."

"Good-bye then," the WindClan leader meowed. "May StarClan light your path."

Nightcloud turned away from Harestar to join her Clanmates. The battle was over and she was safe. Lifting her head to the sky, she face met a beam of sun light poking through the clouds. The time of darkness was over, and a new day had arrived.


	24. Epilogue

Epilogue

Sunlight poured over the ThunderClan camp, turning the dewy morning grass a brilliant green. Nightcloud sat outside the nursery, enjoying the sun's warmth on her fur. After a lengthy and brutal leaf-bare, newleaf had arrived. ThunderClan and WindClan were no longer at odds with each other and the two Clans had reached a healthy peace.

The thick white snow had melted away and bright pink and yellow flowers were beginning to bloom in the forest. So much had changed since Nightcloud had joined ThunderClan nearly six moons ago. The queen closed her eyes as she remembered that fateful day when Crowfeather had chased her out of WindClan territory. Afraid for her life and her kits' safety, she had been forced to enter enemy territory- and that turned out to be the greatest choice she'd ever made.

Two large kits tumbled around the black queen, emitting excited squeals as they rolled around the grass in a mock fight. Nightcloud watched the kits with a proud feeling welling inside of her. Swallowkit had grown into a sleek, lithe cat with silky black fur and Streamkit had become a slightly pudgy, muscular little tabby cat. Swallowkit was full of life and was ready to explore the world around her, while her sister was calm and serious. Both would make great warriors someday.

"Swallowkit, Streamkit, do you want to have your apprentice ceremony looking like you've just come home from battle?" Nightcloud asked, flicking her tabby kit gently with her tail.

The two kits separated at once, giving their mother their sweetest look. "We're sorry, Mother," Streamkit squeaked. "I don't want to stand before Bramblestar with my fur all ruffled up!"

"We were only playing!" Swallowkit huffed. "Rowanpaw taught us a new battle move and we were trying to practice it!"

"There will be plenty of time to practice fighting with your mentor, dear," Nightcloud replied, bending down to lick her daughter's fur. "Besides, I'm not sure Rowanpaw is the best cat to teach you battle moves. His sister says he can't do any of them right!"

Streamkit licked her chest rapidly, smoothing her ruffled fur. "Bluepaw can do the moves right. Poppyfrost said she might even become a warrior early because she's so good."

Her sister crouched down low to the ground, eyeing a wrinkled leaf lying on the grass. "Bluepaw's stuck up," Swallowkit snorted, launching herself at the leaf. "She thinks she's so great but she's really-"

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting," Bramblestar yowled, interrupting the kit's complaint.

Nightcloud nudged Swallowkit up to her paws. "Now stand up straight and don't even think about arguing with Bramblestar over his choice for your mentor."

"Why on earth would you think I'd do that?" the black kit mewed sweetly. "I'd never argue with my leader."

"Yes you would!" Streamkit argued. "At least I know who my mentor will be. I really really want Jayfeather to be my mentor."

Their mother brushed the tabby gently with her tail as she stood to lead her kits over to the High Ledge. "I'm sure you'll be a great medicine cat, dear."

The tabby bounced in front of her mother. "But what if Jayfeather doesn't want me to be his apprentice?"

"I don't know why anyone would _want _to be that grumpy old cat's apprentice!" Swallowkit huffed. "He's nothing but a grouch!"

"Hush!" Nightcloud scolded. "Jayfeather likes Streamkit and I'm sure he'd be pleased to be her mentor if Bramblestar approves. Now you mind your manners. It's not too late for your leader to decide to hold you back a moon."

The kit's eyes widened. "He wouldn't!" she gasped. "I'll be good! I promise!"

The queen just shook her head, trying not to laugh as her kits raced to stand under the High Ledge. Settling down a few fox-lengths away, she watched as the dark tabby leader made his way to stand in front of the excited kits. They would make fine additions to her adopted Clan, and Nightcloud couldn't be happier. ThunderClan was their home now, and she'd be proud to call herself a ThunderClan cat for the rest of her life.

"Today I get to perform one of my favorite duties as a leader," Bramblestar began. "I get to name two of our kits as apprentices. Swallowkit, Streamkit, are you ready?"

"I am!" the black she-kit squealed, bouncing happily on the grass.

Streamkit answered more quietly. "I am, Bramblestar."

"Then I ask StarClan to look down on these two kits and recognize them as apprentices of ThunderClan."


End file.
